Heather Cocks, Jessica Morgan and I

First off, I got my copy of Spoiled signed by the authors, Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks. They also write the hilarious site, Go Fug Yourself.

Kami Garcia and I

I listened to some other authors talk and then the awesome Kami Garcia took the stage, one of the authors of the Caster Chronicles: Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness and the upcoming Beautiful Chaos. Unfortunately the other author, Margaret Stohl wasn’t there. Hopefully I’ll get to meet her someday. I can’t wait to read the new book!!

Overall it was a great and exciting day! I have plans to see Kate Beaton of Hark A Vagrant when she comes to Los Angeles on Oct 23rd. Tell me, do you like to meet authors of books you love? If you haven’t, who would you like to meet?

Jen Lancaster Reading from her new book.

I arrived at 4:30 and got in line to get my numbered wristband, which would dictate my place in line during the signing. I started reading the book while waiting and after I chuckled (I believe after reading the first ORNESTEGA incident) a group of ladies behind me started talking to me. After we got our wristbands I wandered around the store for a bit before realizing I had two hours to kill until the event, so I left the store.

I spied an On The Border, so I decided to stop in for a margarita and some grub while I waited. Lo and behold, I walk into the bar and the ladies from the line are there! They invited me to join them for margaritas and we had a lovely couple hours chatting.

Finally we went back to the store to start the Reading/Q&A/Book Signing Session. Jen was as awesome and funny in real life as she is in her books and on her blog & twitter. I had an awesome time!

I had a great time! I hope Jen comes back to San Diego on her next book tour (and brings Fletch with her next time)!

• Farenheit 451, Ray Bradbury (I’ve read this, but it was a long time ago so I think I’ll read again)
• Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman
• Girl with the Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
• The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Catch 22, Joseph Heller
• Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert
• The Bridges of Madison County, Robert James Waller (I borrowed my mom’s copy, wanted one of my own)

Before you BAWWW at me for omg not having read such an so novel, know that I am already aware of the strange gaps in my education. Some of it is my fault, for example, taking every British lit class I possibly could in college left me woefully ignorant of American Lit in general. Also, I sometimes straight up skipped reading some assigned texts, simply because I didn’t have enough time to complete all of my assigned readings. Some of it was the result of progressive teachers I had in high school, who exposed me to contemporary authors (Keri Hulme, Alan Lightman, etc) instead of more “canon” authors, which got pushed by the wayside.

That’s why I’m excited about these used book stores, it will give me a chance to fill in the gaps of my education. Plus my goal this year was to read mostly ~literature~, so it seems this will help.

Me at the wedding

Well, I was in a wedding last weekend as the matron of honor. I was so nervous about it, but everything went off beautifully and the couple was very happy in the end. Here is the speech I nearly had an aneurysm writing. I also started crying mid way through it!

Good Evening everyone, my name is Erin and I am proud to be the matron of honor. Bride and Groom*, congratulations on your marriage. I know you two will be really happy together.
Groom and I have known each other since high school, and I first met Bride when she started dating him in college. I liked her right away because I saw how happy my friend was when he was with her, and then I could see why he was so happy. Groom, I don’t have to tell you what a sweet, caring, thoughtful person Bride is and I can’t begin to thank you enough for bringing someone like her into my life. Bride is the kind of person whose “effect […] on those around her [is] incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life” like Bride (Middlemarch).
And actually, our meeting was pre-destined. Bride and I lived a block away from each other when we were in elementary school and we went to the same middle school, but never knew each other. In fact, when we were in middle school we both took a quiz sponsored by our student council that was supposed to tell us who our friend matches were. For some reason I kept mine and came across it a couple years ago, and guess who my number one friend match was? Some girl named Bride. So, see? I did learn something in middle school.
At this point it’s usually customary to offer up some quote or a tidbit of advice about love and married life. Unfortunately, having been married for two years now I know that there’s nothing new I can tell you that you haven’t heard already. Being married is hard work. And there will probably be days when you are so annoyed by your spouse, you may wonder what in the hell you were thinking getting yourself into this whole marriage gig to begin with. Ephesians says to “Patiently put up with each other and love each other.” (Eph 4:2) Because then you’ll remember the time he tried to make you soup when you were sick, or how you told jokes in the dark before sleeping and laughed until your sides hurt, and it’s all worth it.
“Rejoice in the wife of your youth […] may you always be captivated by her love.” Prov 5:18-19
As your relationship began among books, it is fitting that it continues in “Marriage, which has been the bourne of so many narratives, [and] is still a great beginning, as it was to Adam and Eve,” (Middlemarch).
Here is to the beginning of the next chapter of your narrative. Cheers, to Bride and Groom.

*Named changed to protect the innocent!

Next week I am flying to Knoxville, TN to attend another wedding. Fortunately, this time I am not in it, just a guest!

I was surprised to learn that the author has been writing these books since 1980! That’s when the first novel was published, this most recent novel was published in 2002. Next March she will be publishing the sixth installment, The Land of the Painted Caves. I’ll be reading that when it is released!

Well, since then I’ve completed the His Dark Materials trilogy (I gave the first and last books 4/5 stars, the second 3/5). I also read the first three books in the Uglies series. Once I finished Specials, I really did not want to have anything to do with the series anymore. I couldn’t take any more!

After the depressing Uglies series I needed something more light hearted, so I started The Princess Diaries series. I’ve loved the two movies since they came out, so I was already somewhat interested. I loved them! I finished all ten books in something like two weeks! I know, I’m crazy

After watching The Bridges of Madison County on TV one day, I decided to read the book. What a touching and compelling read; I thought the book and the movie complemented each other so well, and the movie definitely reinforced my love for Clint Eastwood!

And my long awaited third and final installment to The Hunger Games, Mockingjay was released this summer! I loved it, I devoured that book and finished it in probably a day or so.

I also read the Millennium series, the first book being The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I loved them and was very happy with the way the series ended. I also watched the first movie, I thought it portrayed the book very well and I LOVED Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth, although I was less enthralled with Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist. I thought of Mikael as sexier when I was reading the book. Maybe it fit for Swedish audiences?

Throw in a couple more books (Child Star by Shirley Temple Black, disappointing; Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern, hilarious) and I am on to yet another book series! This time it is the Earth’s Children series by Jean M. Auel. Right now I’m in the midst of the fourth book, Plains of Passage and I’m still enjoying them, although the forays into description of the flora and fauna aren’t quite as captivating as they were in the first couple of books. I still want to know what happens to Ayla and Jondalar, though!

So what should I read next? I saw that Rick Riordan has a new book out, it is the first in a new series in the same universe as The Lightning Thief. I’m not sure I’m interested, though. I didn’t enjoy those books too much to begin with. I have the Series of Unfortunate Events that I haven’t read yet and the Old Kingdom Series. Any other recommendations?

Charlaine Harris Signing my book

I was so excited to meet her! San Diego isn’t exactly a short drive for me, but once I heard she would be there, I had to go. I was actually at the LA Times Festival of books when I heard about the event as I walked by the booth Mysterious Galaxy had there. Charlaine was so sweet, I loved her Southern accent! There were so many people there to meet her, and she stayed for HOURS signing books, I was amazed!

Charlaine and I!

I can’t wait to meet her again and have her sign my next book

The same thing happened with Twilight, I didn’t start reading the series until the last book, Breaking Dawn came out. I saw the huge display inside a Borders store the day it came out, got curious and bought the first book. 5 days later I had the entire series read. I tend to get into things at the tail end of them

Since Twilight, I’ve been reading more YA novels at the recommendations of friends. First was Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series, which I absolutely LOVED. Once I finished Catching Fire, I was disappointed to learn that the last book wouldn’t be published until August 24th of this year.

Next up was the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, starting with The Lightening Thief, since the movie was due in theatres pretty soon. I was actually reading the books over my Anniversary vacation. I thought they were alright, but very Harry Potter-esque. I didn’t like them as much as I liked The Hunger Games & Catching Fire. And The Lightening Thief movie? Incredibly disappointing! Not faithful to the book at all (what is all this business about Persephone’s pearls?), tons of elements of the movie were completely made up when they didn’t need to be, the book was fine as it was.

Now I’m on to the His Dark Materials series, about 100 pages into The Golden Compass (or Northern Lights as it sometimes called). I never saw the movie, and apparently it wasn’t faithful to the book at all so I’m not planning on it. So far I’m really liking the book. It has a parallel universe to our own, much like The Hunger Games, and I’ve found that I enjoy those novels more.

Feel free to comment if you also enjoy YA novels and have some to recommend to me!

And now, back to (re)reading the Midnight Sun draft!

• Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black) talks about the sequels
• Kristin Stewart (Bella Swan), Rob Pattinson (Edward Cullen), and Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black) are presenting at the VMAs this year!
• Twilight’ Cast Heads Back To The Set To Shoot New Scenes which include Cullen family flashbacks and more Jacob Black at the prom! yay!

Ah, now to wait until next Tuesday…