That Time We Met Cassandra Clare and Michelle Hodkin... Part 2

Remember that time we were driving through the pouring rain to Long Island and it was really dark and then we got soaked and we had to run for the bookstore and shield the books with our bodies so they didn't get wet but it was all worth it in the end because we got to see Cassandra Clare and Michelle Hodkin?

Yeah. That time was awesome.

So Megan already did Part 1 of this post. She informed you of all the fun that went on at the Clockwork Prince launch party. Now, I am here to share with you OUR ADVENTURES IN LONG ISLAND.

This time, we asked my aunt to take us. She drove out from NYC to come pick us up, then drove us to Long Island, then sat with us in the bookstore for a few hours, then drove us all the way back home. In the pouring rain. So basically, WE LOVE HER. She's the best and we owe her forever for taking us.

Anyway, so after driving for like three hours in the pitch black and the pouring rain, we FINALLY arrived at Barnes and Noble. Where we had to get out of the car with our stacks of books and prevent them from getting wet. It was very difficult, but the books eventually made it safely into the store. Oh, and we did too, by the way.

So we went in, bought MORE books, and got our numbers for later on. Since we were a little bit starving because of the NEVER ENDING DRIVE to get there, we dashed to a pizza place nearby and shoved some food down our throats. Arriving back at the bookstore, we headed upstairs to the YA section to browse books until it was time for the event to start. (If any Nerdfighters out there happen to go to Barnes and Noble at Country Glen Center, Carle Place NY, check out John Green's books. I left some notes.)

Then it was time to line up. Since there were only thirty or so chairs set up, all the other fans had to sit back among the bookshelves.Which meant that we, being in the 80s, couldn't see Michelle or Cassie. (Unless we climbed up on the bookshelves, which we tried to do. But it seems the shelves weren't all that
sturdy, and we weren't really in the mood to break them/us.)

Us reading CP as we waited for the event to start.

 So it was a little disappointing that we couldn't see the authors during the Q&A, which meant we couldn't ask them the awesome questions we had planned. Also, it was kind of hard to hear the questions and answers because the story was so noisy. I'm talking kids screaming at the other end of the store and many animated conversations. DON'T YOU PEOPLE REALIZE THIS IS MICHELLE HODKIN AND CASSANDRA CLARE?!?!

I guess they didn't. *sighs* Some people just don't get it. But it's okay. All was well. Once the Q&A was over, we eagerly hopped up and joined the throng of people lining up to get their books signed.

So there were several minutes of inching forward, closer and closer to the authors. We chatted with fans a little bit, squealed about Clockwork Prince, and generally freaked out.

THEN. Then we reached the front of the line!


Oh. And I don't think I mentioned this, but Lauren, Megan, and I were all decked out in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer themed-shirts. We'd spent several hours and lots of puffy paint making them one Saturday. Also, we had drawn a ton of runes from Cassie's books all over our arms. (And by "we", I mean me. Lauren and Megan declared me the OFFICIAL RUNE DRAWER. Which is funny, considering I am not artistic at all. But I did the best I could.)

This picture is directly from Michelle's blog. Omg.

So we were obviously very very very enthusiastic.

I stepped up to Michelle Hodkin first, trying not to FREAK OUT and scream and squeal and jump up and down with excitement. And, um. Wow. She was so nice and just... awesome. Seriously. She's my new favorite person in the world.

She loved our shirts, and asked to take pictures of them. And then it turned into a whole bunch of people whipping out cameras and taking pictures of our shirts. I might have been giggling like an idiot. Or maybe that was just in my head. I don't know.

So, I was trying desperately to keep my cool. Because it's not like I was meeting MY HERO or anything. Pssh. It's not like The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is one of my favorite books ever ever ever. Pssh.

Also. Lauren and I asked her to sign boxes of animal crackers. AND SHE DID! She didn't think it was weird or anything and she was excited about it and I was excited about it and the entire world was excited about it.

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, pg. 377

So that was um, just a little bit AWESOME. And then! Then it gets better. Because, you see, Michelle BLOGGED ABOUT US. Those people are us.

*FLAILS*

So omgomgomg that was so exciting. Not to sound weird or creepy or anything, but MICHELLE WE LOVE YOU.

Anywho. Once we said goodbye to Michelle, we got to talk to Cassie. AGAIN. And she signed our books. Lots and lots of books that we bought for all our friends. Because we are AWESOME FRIENDS.

And then we pulled out our Clockwork Prince shirts we had been wearing the night before and she took a picture of us holding them and I tried not to freak out about the fact that I was talking to Cassandra Clare. Again.

Of course, I have since read Clockwork Prince. And she has broken my heart. So I am kind of having mixed feelings towards her. But really I love her.


It was sad that we had to like, leave and stuff. I would have liked to stay in Barnes and Noble all night to talk to them. Alas, that is not how these things work. So we left the store, pausing outside to HAPPY DANCE and scream a little bit. I hope nobody was watching/hearing us. Because that would be awkward.


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THE BEST DAY EVER.


And I've been rambling on about this for waaay too long. If for some reason, you are still reading this, then I apologize how big this post is. But these are my feelings, you know? And this blog is about RAMBLING. We're not really short and sweet kind of people.


Okay, I'll leave now. I think I'll go stare at MY SIGNED BOOKS. 
And my signed animal crackers.
And my signed rubber duck.
I love life.


-Rachel