Holly Black Author Event for The Cruel Prince’s Release
On Wednesday, I attended an author event for Holly Black! Hosted by Little Shop of Stories, this event was a part of Black’s tour for The Cruel Prince. It was also located at Decatur Library, which is one branch I’d yet to visit. It’s gorgeous! The event was such a wonderful time full of fascinating discussions and cool moments, as bookish events will be! I think I’ve said this before, but I’m so grateful to now live near a shop that does so many of these. Where I lived in Florida, we had an independent bookshop, but it was over an hour away from me and rarely held author events. Little Shop of Stories is so on top of this! I feel like every time a new book is coming out, they’ve got the author in house.
Anyway, my love for Holly Black is actually just becoming! When I saw she was going to be here, I definitely wanted to go, because I love the books in The Spiderwick Chronicles and Magisterium. However, I’ve never read any of her solo works, nor am I familiar with any of them. So, it was news to me that many, The Cruel Prince included, are in the same universe. This has left me somewhat conflicted, because it makes me feel like I should go in publishing order, but I read two chapters of The Cruel Prince while in line at the event and, you guys, IT IS BEAUTIFUL. I’m so enthralled already, and I really want to start it as soon as I finish up reading some of the things I’ve been in the middle of this week. I’ve decided I think I will just let myself do that, because I’m on a book-buying ban (books from events and BOTM not included) this month, so it’s not like I can get any of her other stuff yet anyway. Since they are just in the same universe, not the same series, I thiiiiink I’m chill with doing this?
Back to the event! Black herself was fascinating, hilarious, and exceedingly kind! It always amazes me how personable and heartfelt authors are to so many people at once, especially when they’re on tour and doing this over and over again. She read a chapter from the book, and then took questions from the audience, which resulted in all kinds of cool stories, from the beginning of her journey as an author to how she got her pointed ears.
Another fun and unexpected thing that happened was Roshani Chokshi being in the audience! Black pointed her out while on stage, and during the signing Chokshi ended up helping pass everyone’s books along to Black to be signed! One of the Little Shop of Stories coordinators needed to go grab something, and Chokshi jumped up from her chair saying she could totally help pass the books through. So we sort of got to say hi to her too. It was quite exciting, and she seems like a sincerely wonderful person. I have The Star-Touched Queen on my unread shelf and in my TBR jar, so I might get to that soon too! That has been one of those that I’m actually fairly certain I will love and therefore haven’t gone straight to picking up. I don’t know why that happens to me!
Lastly, LOOK AT THIS BOOK. It takes my breath away! We also got a sticker, which always thrills me so much more than an adhesive piece of paper really should.
