I learned two very valuable lessons on Saturday when I went to the final stop on Suzanne Collins Mockingjay tour, which was held at the Indigo book store at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto.
1. When driving on the 401 without GPS, and you only think you know where you are going - BAD IDEA. It took me 20 mins to get back onto the 401 and going in the right direction!
2. Author signings are boring when you go on your own and you have no-one to talk to. I missed you Christinabean.
My wonderful friend and colleague, Christinabean, won a ticket to this event from the 'Indigo Green Room'. (Thank you Jeremy Cammy) Unfortunately, she was not able to attend and she let me go in her place - on the understanding that it was her copy of 'Mockingjay' that got stamped by Ms Collins. Small sacrifice on my part! When I arrived I met up with Jennifer Shannon, Marketing Manager for Chapters - you've heard us speak of Jennifer before - and I received my ticket from her. I am reliably informed that she tweeted my picture (above) and with Ms Collins (below). Thank you so much Jen. One of these days I really must get a twitter account and drag myself into the modern world!
After lining up for 90 mins, this was my view while Suzanne did her readings from Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Just a little disappointing to say the least. Especially as my view while I was waiting was from the top of the stairs and I could see everything. We were told to scrunch up together just before the event started and I lost my great view. C'est la vie!
This is a slightly better view of Ms Collins. She has injured her wrist and is unable to sign the books, so she has a specially made Mockingjay stamp, with her signature, that she uses on each book. I book only per person, and only 250 tickets given out.
About 3 minutes before I got to the head of the line, I found out that the two girls waiting on either side of me had both been at the Cassandra Clare and Holly Black event at the Queensway and Christinabean and I had actually pulled out their names to win tickets for the event.
Unfortunately the photo of myself and Ms Collins is so bad that I refuse to let it be seen by the general public. I don't think of myself as being a vain person, but there are just some photos that should be burned! Christinabean says this one that Jennifer tweeted is really good, so I decided to put it in instead. This was a very short event when compared to the others that we have been to, with only readings from the books and no Q & A, or chatting, but I'm still very glad I went.
How lucky are you. I totally forgot about her being there on the weekend. I was actually at Yorkdale doing some shopping and heading into T.O to see Wicked! I'm glad I forgot otherwise I would have been really sad to have missed it.
ReplyDeleteSorry you missed it Katie. It was a long wait for a short visit tho'.
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun event even though it was short! :)
ReplyDeleteI was on the second lever too when Suzanne arrived... too bad I didn't see you to say "Hi!".
Midnight Bloom, did you line up on the previious Sat for a ticket? How did you get yours? I don't remember drawing your name at the CC + HB signing...oh wait a minute....did you gatecrash? :P
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