HVYAS July Event: Signing with Cassandra Clare, Holly Black & Sarah Rees Brennan

From left to right: Sarah Rees Brennan, Cassandra Clare and Holly Black!

On July 15th, I, along with Touya from The Reader's Garden, were lucky enough to attend the Hudson Valley Young Adult Society's July event at Oblong Books & Music in Rhinebeck, NY.  Neither Touya or I had ever been to a book signing before and when we saw who was to be featured at the event we ( or I) nearly died with excitement.  Cassandra Clare, Holly Black and Sarah Rees Brennan, all at the same signing, only a little over an hour away from home! We decided pretty quickly that we would not be missing this event. 


We arrived early, 10:15 am, for me to get my signing line ticket; Touya was smart and had pre-ordered her books online so she received a priority line ticket. From the moment I stepped inside Oblong Books, I was in love. It really is the most excellent bookstore I've ever been in.  The staff was friendly, the store was beautiful and it had that wonderful BOOK smell that I love so much. After chatting with the staff at the store and with a few hours to kill, we decided to peruse the local farmer's market and then meandered through the town making our way to the most perfect little diner. It was there, at Pete's Famous, where I had the most delicious and filling breakfast I may have ever eaten.  From there, Touya and I set up shop on a bench outside a very nice smelling soap store and talked for a while about the book she's writing (be excited, guys, because it's gonna be great!) and enjoyed the sunshine. 


Finally, it was time to line up for the signing. Of course, right about the moment we got in line it started to rain, but it wasn't too bad at first. When the downpour started, the lovely staff at Oblong Books & Music was kind enough to let us in early. I can now attest to the fact that their music selection is vast and varied as that is where they had us stashed until it was time for seating to start. Touya and I found seats about three rows back and settled in to wait for the event to begin. There were prizes given away and lots of laughs while we waited for the ladies to arrive and honestly, the time flew right by for me. 


When Holly Black, Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan arrived at the store, the room seemed to erupt with excitement. These ladies were hilarious from the very beginning. You can easily see the friendship that ties them all together. They did readings from their upcoming works and told highly amusing anecdotes about how they met, how it feels to see their books on the shelves in book stores and answered countless other questions from fans. 

Holly Black & Cassandra Clare answering questions!

Holly Black read to us from The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, which hasn't even been to her editor yet (*squee*), it's about vampires and I really can't wait to read it!  Cassandra Clare read the prologue to Clockwork Princess and made us promise not to record her. I am anxiously awaiting that book, so getting to hear the beginning from the author, herself, was pretty huge for me. Sarah Rees Brennan hilariously acted out a scene from Unspoken as she read it. She had Holly Black hiding her head in her hands and laughing hysterically along with the rest of us.  

Sarah Rees Brennan acting out a scene from Unspoken & Holly Black's reaction. 

I was pretty nervous by the time I made it up to the table where the authors were signing, these are some of my very favorite authors of all time, my idols, really, and I was afraid I would be rendered speechless. That wasn't a problem at all though, I actually managed to have conversations with all three ladies.  Cassie, Sarah and I discussed the ABC tv show, Revenge  and Sarah complimented me on my hair clips. When I got to Holly, she and I talked about our mutual distaste for zombies.  A successful outing if ever there was one. 

Me & Holly Black! 

Me & Sarah Rees Brennan!

 I felt like jumping up and down the entire way home, of course, because I was still so revved up, I couldn't be calm. I had been among other readers, people who understand how I can gasp and ooh and ah over words on a page and get so emotionally invested that I cry when it's over sometimes, even when nothing sad has happened.  Add that to meeting three of my favorite authors and I'm surprised I slept that night. I was like a kid on Christmas Eve. My poor husband listened to me rant for hours when I got home that night.  Saying I had a good time would be a vast understatement.