Booking It

The Tucson Festival of Books was a month ago and I got to see my friend Elizabeth Eulberg again! We went to lunch, conveniently Cornish Pasty is just a couple miles away from Changing Hands. After lunch we headed over to Changing Hands for her signing and my dear friend Jenny came who I don't get to see enough came. Because of the Tucson book festival going on it was a small crowd for her signing but one of my favorites because first of all Elizabeth is super funny and super nice. We were able to all chat together and I made friends with some strangers. 

Then down in Tucson I got to meet Gayle Forman and hang out with a couple more of my book buddies Espe & Jen! Gayle was on a panel with Elizabeth & Maggie Stiffvater after their signing I asked Gayle while she was eating an apple to take a picture, it turned into a recreating the Twilight cover. 

 I wore my Team Adam badge and was able to hand them out to a few girls in line by us.

In the book Just One Day someone tells Allyson to have a macaroon every day she is Paris.

I had been craving one since I read it and when I was in Tempe I stopped off at Essence Bakery and got one in pumpkin, raspberry and lime, the pumpkin was so divine! 

 When I arrived at the panel and Elizabeth saw me she got excited and held up a doll, why because we have bonded over Jane Austen and she knew I would appreciate a Mr. Darcy doll. A friend had given it to her and sadly it was the last one but she showed me the tag so I could find it online. I was so excited for my Darcy doll to finally come so you can image my disappointment when I opened the box and it was Dracula! But I called the company they saw it was their error and sent me a Darcy and told me to keep Dracula so now Darcy has a friend.

And a few weeks ago Cassandra Clare came for the release of Clockwork Princess. She came along with authors Maureen Johnson & Sarah Rees Brennan, it was a fun event.

 But man it was a lot of books to be carrying around and they had us stack them a certain way and I some how had missed a couple books so I didn't have time to write my name on a sticky note for Maureen's book so I had to tell her my name and she heard wrong and I started laughing and she felt bad and then wrote that she has gone insane in my book, it was awesome!

Anyone who has gone to a book signing with me knows that I can get a little carried away talking about books or whatever when I meet an author. While Mimi and I were in line we talked about how we both realized that the first video Mimi really ever edited was the one we made for the contest Cassandra Clare did for an ARC for City of Glass. Which we did win one by the way! So for the first time Mimi did the talking and told Cassandra that we had made the video and how it pushed her into her now career path. Cassandra was sincerely touched and she actually grabbed Mimi's hand, it was so sweet. Blast the confounded pile of books in my arms because I could get to my phone so I could take a picture. I will sign off with the newest City of Bones trailer!

Coming Back Full Circle

While I was in Europe back in February 2010 I had some books on my mind, one of those books was Elizabeth Eulberg's The Lonely Hearts Club.

After my friends and I had crossed Abbey Road and got a look at Abbey Road Studios

we headed to The Beatles gift shop.

While in the shop I saw some buttons or badges as the British say for St. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

(my library bag I mentioned in another post)

Which made me think of this lovely passage from The Lonely Hearts Club...

I bought badges not only for some friends and I, but one to send to Elizabeth as well. Then Elizabeth wrote Prom & Prejudice, which also went so well with my trip to Bath, and the I Heart Darcy badge I bought. 

While in Paris I had a book I had never read on my mind. I was so excited to read Stephanie Perkins debut novel Anna and the French Kiss and thought how awesome it would be to visit places then read about them. Can I just say what a genius I am, because it was not only awesome it was like making dreams come true before you even dream the dream. I am so lucky Stephanie is so nice and took the time to send us a list of places we should see, because it made Paris all the more special. 

For example I would have never gone to Shakespeare & Company book shop. But after going to Paris & reading Anna I often see pictures of Shakespeare & Co and see the picture above on the left and see people commenting on how they dream about going there. And look there I am in the chair in the famous book shop fulfilling a future dream. 

Both Elizabeth & Stephanie are on twitter and if you didn't already know I adore these woman. When I found out that there were going to be an a panel together I was wishing I could be in Georgia. But because these woman are awesome they fulfilled another wish for me and took a picture of them together. 

While in Europe I didn't buy a lot of things for myself but I saw the Lonely Hearts Club key chain and thought it would be a great way to remember my London trip and remember that "this lonely hearts club was the opposite of depressing. It was alive." After I got the beautiful "I left my heart in San Francisco" key chain from Stephanie I put it on my key chain and sent her this picture along with my thanks.

When things come around again in full circle, it just makes me feel a peace like good things do happen in the world and I am lucky to be apart of them. 

The Mean Reds

Have you seen Breakfast at Tiffany's? I remember watching this with my sister Debbie & our neighbor and friend Jennie after we put on this old trench coat my mom had and walked down the street saying things like "step on it darling" & "I'm crazy about Tiffany's."

Lately I have been thinking about the "mean reds" and Holly's cure for the mean reds.

Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?

Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?

Paul Varjak: Sure.

Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!

When I went to New York back when I was a senior in High School I had my best friend Erika take a picture of me standing in front of Tiffany's.

But Tiffany's is not my cure for the mean reds my cure is Jane Austen & anything Austenesque. Although our cures are different the reasons for the cure are the same...

"The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there."

After having a really bad start to my new year I found myself tired & down and desperate for something to lift my spirits when I remembered that Elizabeth Eulberg's new book Prom & Prejudice had come out. I drove straight to Barnes & Noble & got myself a copy.

I read Elizabeth's Eulberg's first novel The Lonely Heart's Club before going to London last year and loved the message of girls staying true to themselves and not doing things because of guys. The Beatles references didn't hurt either. Reading Prom & Prejudice was extremely fun. I loved seeing how Elizabeth made Lizzy & Darcy fit into modern day high school and her twist on things. I only wish I could have gotten more.

Some of my other favorite Austenesque type books are Shannon Hale's Austenland. I don't even know how many times I have read this book or listened to it, yep I also have the audio on my ipod. Not to mention how much I love what Shannon wrote when she signed it...

Another is Enthusiams by Polly Shulman which is a book I have never actually read. I have only listened to it on audio since the library only has it on audio, silly library. I am not one for ordering books online so I was so excited that I found it at Bookmans on Saturday! I gave it to Debbie the Enthusiast in my life. This isn't a modern re-telling it is just about two friend who love Jane Austen & long to find their Mr. Darcy and crash a dance to find one for themselves. 

 Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, I have not read that the 5 sisters in this fantasy/fairytale retelling are based of the Bennett sisters in Pride & Prejudice but it just seemed obvious. So if you like fairytale retelling & Pride & Prejudice I would check this out.

Ok this is not a Pride & Prejudice-esque book but if you like fantasy/fairytale Shannon Hale type books check out The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal.