I had a chance to go to an author event at Anderson’s Bookshop last night with my mom (in celebration of her birthday), so I thought I’d share a quick recap. I’m doing it in bullet-point format to make it easier!
- Adam Silvera just plain makes me happy. I don’t think I’ve ever gone to an event that featured him and not fallen a little more in love with the guy. You know, in an authorly sense—not weird, I promise.
- Adam Silvera + Lauren Oliver is even better! These two are both just incredibly fun and interesting and listening to them chat together is like listening in on two old friends who you just know adore each other.
- They both talked about the struggles of writing and how often the last thing they want to do each day is sit down to write their current book. Not because they don’t love writing, but because it’s hard.
- Lauren mentioned that even after having written so many books (13 plus a bunch of novellas), she still feels challenged each and every time, like she might not be able to accomplish it this time. I actually found this encouraging—right now with my edits (on my own book) I’m doubting myself, wondering if I can make it into something really good. Wondering if I can live up to the amazing advice that the editor at Penguin Children’s gave me. I keep finding more and more flaws… But after 13 books, Lauren says she still does this. This somehow makes me feel much better.
- Adam said with the fantasy he’s currently working on, he got so desperate that he called his agent and asked if he could literally work on any other book. He even tried to pitch them something new. (They said nope and told him to get back to work.) 🙂
- They also both talked about their mental health struggles and how health has to come first.
- Lauren revealed that she’s been on Zoloft for many years and she doesn’t see herself ever going off of it. Sometimes people make comments about that, as if it’s a crutch or something. But she knows better—she has a mental health issue that requires medication. There is no shame in that!
- Adam talked about his struggles with depression and how he was suicidal after his first release—everything just felt too overwhelming. I love that he’s brave enough to share his despair in a time when many people might have felt he should have been more happy. Just goes to show that depression isn’t curbed by circumstances and it doesn’t listen to reason.
- They both talked about their forays into fan fiction when they were younger. (Though Lauren says there was no such thing when she was young.)
- Lauren told the story of her first full book that she wrote when she was nine. It was loosely based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. She not only wrote the book, but she also gave herself a NYTimes blurb, saying the book was “lyrical and heartbreaking.” I’m sure it was, Lauren. I’m sure it was.
- During the signing time, there was an appearance by a cute pup (who belongs to one of the bookstore employees). He’s adorable and stole the show for a few minutes.
One other very interesting tidbit:
While my mom and I were waiting in line to get our books signed, we ended up chatting with the woman behind us (and her husband). She turned out to be Gloria Chao, author of the upcoming American Panda. She told us about the book—which is a contemp about a Taiwanese-American teen struggling to please her parents who want her to be a doctor despite her germophobia. Now I’m incredibly psyched to read it! (It helps that she and her husband are incredibly nice people.)
All in all, the night was a great success and it was a fantastic way to celebrate my mom’s birthday. (Happy birthday again, Mom! Love you!)
Have you met Lauren Oliver or Adam Silvera on any of their tours? Are there any other authors that are just so much fun in person, you can’t help but adore them? Are you planning to read American Panda? I want to know!
I picked up a finished copy of Ringer at the event, and since I already have an ARC, I thought I’d do a giveaway! (US only—sorry!)
I’ve never had the opportunity to go to an author signing event, but I’d really love to! Sounds like an exciting event 🙂
Hope you manage it someday!
After reading Summer of Supernovas, I fould out Darcy Woods was presenting at a book signing/author talk about an hour from my home. My husband came with me (gotta love the support!) and Darcy is so bubbly and friendly and I could gush on and on. I hope to attend more events, but they are so far and few. Thanks for sharing your fun. I feel as if i were there too.
It just makes you want to read her books even more, right? Let me know if you see she has anything new coming out!
I had a great time last night! Thanks for the Birthday outing Nicole!! Going to see Adam Silvera & Lauren Oliver was a great choice! I also love Adam Silvera more every time I see him. He is just such a nice, funny, down to earth guy. And, to my amazement, he always remembers me. Although as you pointed out to me, he probably doesn’t have that many older(almost 70 Year old) fans coming to see him. 🙂 I had never seen Lauren Oliver before, but I really enjoyed her also. I am also looking forward to Gloria Chao’s new book. She and her husband were so nice. It sounded very interesting. Hopefully we will get to go see her at Anderson’s Book Store in February.
I’m sure Adam recognizes you partially because you’re a unique follower of his, but he also recognizes awesomeness when he sees it. 🙂
Thank you Nicole!! 🙂
That must have been fun! Both of the books sound interesting!
It was great fun!
Ah I love Lauren Oliver and I so need to read an Adam Silvera book. They sound like they were awesome and glad you had a good time!!
It was a fantastic event!
This is so cool! I’m glad you had fun at the event.
I really adore Anderson’s author events—they’re always fabulous!
I haven’t read anything by Silvera yet, although I need to. Lauren Oliver is someone I really do want to meet though. Sounds like it was a great event!
I definitely recommend Adam’s books!
I just love seeing pics of you and your mom at bookish events!! You guys are the cutest of all cutes!! I also always love your recaps!! You’re really good at giving the interesting details. I love that Adam and Lauren talked about writing struggles because it is SO hard– and it’s nice to know that it is hard for everyone, even people as awesome and good at writing as Adam and L.O.
Also, it’s super cool you guys got to meet Adam again. He has the best personality!!
Yes, sometimes it can be so encouraging to know that even seasoned authors struggle with day-to-day writing. It’s not easy!
I’ve never read anything by Lauren, but I LOVE Adam’s books. I’ve only gotten to meet him once, I believe, and I’d love to see him again sometime. He’s really very sweet, so I understand the love. I like that they both talked about how HARD writing is – so so hard -and shared their depression struggles. It always makes me feel “closer” in a sense to an author, when I hear these things. Mental health is a tough issue.
-Lauren
Yes, I completely agree. It makes me love an author’s books even more when they share the tough things about writing it as well as the great things!
I got to listen to Adam talk in a panel yesterday at Texas Teen Book Festival. He talks SO fast, even for me!! His panel was about fated characters and he talked a little about his characters and their sexuality (as well as his own). I can imagine it is very overwhelming after releasing a book.
He does talk fast, but I love his energy! 🙂
I had the pleasure of meeting Lauren Oliver at a book signing. She is great to talk to. I can’t wait to read both of these author’s new books.
She seems like such a fun, down-to-earth person!
What a lovely evening! Thank you for sharing it with us. I’ve taken students to hear Margaret Peterson Haddix and April Henry at our local Powell’s Books, and they were both lovely. Carl Hiassan was terrific fun–he was talking about his latest adult release (and was VERY FUNNY), but was willing to sign my daughter’s copy of Chomp too. At NCTE two years ago I was pretty author-smitten with Patrick Ness, Chris Crutcher, A. S. King, Sharon Draper, Kwame Alexander, and Matt de la Peña, and I’m so excited to figure out who I’ll get to hear talk at this year’s–in about five weeks! I think Silvera will be there, as will Jason Reynolds and Julie Murphy, but as of this minute I’m most stoked about a conversation between Laini Taylor and Megan Whalen Turner.
NCTE sounds amazing—one of these days I’d like to do an event like that. I wonder if homeschool educators are allowed… must do some research. (I just glanced at some of the breakouts and thought, Oooh! I’d love to do that with my students!)
I didn’t realize it was your mom’s birthday! Please wish her a belated happy birthday from me!! It was SO lovely to meet you both, and thank you so much for your wonderful shout-out in the post! Hope I get to see you again at another Chicago book event, and so excited to read all your future posts!
I’ll tell her! I hope to run into you again too—at the very least, if we don’t see you sooner, we plan to try hard to make it to your launch in February!
That would be so lovely! <3
Thanks for the belated birthday wish Gloria. I really enjoyed meeting you. Look forward to your new book.
I really enjoyed meeting you as well! Thank you! Hope you had a wonderful birthday!!!
Okay, I don’t know what is cuter- the picture of the four of you, or your mom and Gloria’s chat in the comment section of this post. Like- how about you have a dinner party with all of these people- Adam, Lauren, you, your mom, Gloria and her husband- and then invite me. Please and thank you. This sounds like an amazing event, both of the authors are all-time favorites of mine (both as authors AND humans) so I am pretty jealous. I love that they shared that they still have those hard moments- make it feel less daunting for the rest of us! And Happy Birthday, Gay!!
I’m convinced that my mom is impossible not to like. I just have to bring her with me everywhere and I’m all set!
That’s so amazing you got to go to that event….your local book store seems to have most fabulous of events! And oh my gosh, what a fun way for your mom to celebrate her birthday! I’m so happy for the both of you!
We are really lucky to live close to Anderson’s. I always say that it’s good that we live close but not TOO close. If I lived closer, I would basically move into the place!
I dream of the day I get to go to an author event! Looks like so much fun!
Hope you get to attend one!
What do I think? I love Lauren Oliver novel’s and I have yet to read Ringer. I read They both Die at the End and it was fabulous….I mean it was amazing! To see the both of them, you were darn lucky!! I don’t think I would have been able to control myself. I saw Jenny Lawson and had her sign a couple of her books and she was terrific. She spoke just like she writes and I felt honored to be in her presence. I felt giddy just talking to her.
I haven’t read Jenny Lawson yet, but I definitely plan to!
Great photo! I love your recap of the event. I would love to meet Lauren Oliver!
I hope you get to meet her someday!