Reading has always been an important hobby of mine; I read to understand and to grow.

Whenever I had a fight with a friend, I read.  Whenever I struggled in school, I read.  Whenever it all became too much to bear, I read.  I have always been a reader.

However, I have also always been a writer — which made the book-signing I attended even more beneficial.  Becoming an author has always been one of my dreams, so it was a fortunate experience meeting several published authors.

I met with Rainbow Rowell, Lucy Christopher, and David Levithan on January 26th, 2014.  The event was located at Children’s Book World, an independent bookstore located in Haverford, PA, that sells children’s books and Young Adult literature.

Each of the three authors added to the bookstore’s authenticity; the ambiance was personable and inviting.  The bookstore had a ton of decorations and walls of shelves that were filled with several kinds of books.  There was lots of color and variety in such a small space.

As time passed, the bookstore became more and more crowded.  A rough estimate would be that there was about 200 people by the time the event began.  I was third in line to have my books signed.

The event started at 7:00pm with each author introducing themselves.

First, Levithan introduced us to the bookstore and mentioned that he has signed many of his books there.  He talked about his novels, particularly Two Boys Kissing, which is his most recent.  He and Rowell acted out scenes from this book, and they were brilliant.  One of the most interesting aspects of the book-signing was hearing these authors talk about their books; they are truly passionate about their careers and the stories that which they create.

Next, Christopher promoted her newest novel, The Killing Woods.  Prior to the book-signing, Christopher was an author whom I had never previously heard of, but she was a compelling speaker.  It was a shock to me when she started speaking because of her English accent.

Christopher described her inspiration behind The Killing Woods, mentioning that the wilderness near her house had scared her as a child (when she signed each copy of The Killing Woods, she left fake leaves in the pages!).  Interestingly enough, Christopher also explained that her first novel, Stolen, was influenced by her childhood in Australia, and how she struggled with the change.

In addition to reading an excerpt from her newest novel, she stated that there will be a film adaption of Stolen, and that she is writing the screenplay, which left the whole audience (including myself!) in awe, as we clapped excitedly.

Lastly, Rowell stood front and center with an ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy) of Landline.  She talked about its plot and made it clear that Landline is an adult novel, unlike Eleanor & Park and Fangirl.  As she read a brief snippet, I was enthralled; hearing an author narrate their story adds another dimension to the novel’s experience.

Unfortunately, though, she did not continue reading for much longer, and we now have to wait until July to know what happens next.

The best part of the whole evening though was when Rowell and Levithan performed an iconic scene from Fangirl, where Cath (Rowell) and Levi (Levithan) are talking about Cath’s fan-fiction in her dorm room.

Without spoiling too much, the two authors conducted a hilarious performance, and they were very humorous.   Christopher pretended that she was the door to Cath’s dorm room, Levithan joked that “[he] was meant to be Levi, because it was in his last name,” and Rowell added a flawless perspective to Cath’s character.

Shortly afterward, the authors proceeded to answer questions.  This was an eye-opening experience because they offered insight on their stories.  Some the questions answered included “Will you write a Simon Snow book?” (directed to Rowell), but others were more thought-provoking, asking about how Simon Snow adds meaning to Fangirl, while others asked about the authors’ writing processes.

All seven of the books that I had purchased and/or brought were signed, with personable comments.  I was able to speak with each of the authors, and I even took a picture with Rowell.  They all agreed that I was extremely excited and they hoped that I would enjoy their future installments.

If the opportunity ever comes for you to experience something that you are truly passionate about, do it.  Do it with no regrets.

Opportunity does not knock on the door often, so when it does, be sure to answer.