Forever Book Launch in Tyson’s Corner:

Barnes and Noble at Tyson's Corner, Mclean VA.

First I have to say a big thanks to Maggie Stiefvater and Sulaiman Azimi for an awesome book launch and signing yesterday in Barnes and Noble at Tyson's Corner. When I arrive I was super excited because I had never been to a signing before, and I mean this is Maggie Stiefvater!!!! Like Maggie said if you arrive early there will always be someone there before you, and she was not kidding. It officially started at 7pm and I arrived at 5pm. There was already about 5 people sitting and waiting when I arrived. So to kill time I made some new friends. I just want to give a quick shout out to Jenn, Ruby, and Amber thanks for gabbing with me and making the time go faster. There was actually a great turn out eagerly waiting for Maggie.

                    

First Sulaiman Azimi showed up and sung us a great song.

Then Maggie showed up and told us a little background about Forever and why she choose to use wolves in the Shiver series.

She told us a story about a time when she was on a book tour in Hungary. I will just summarize that story.


So Why Wolves?
When she was in Hungary she met a man named Zoltan "the wolf guy." He was a wolf trainer. He asked her if she wanted to meet the wolves, and of course she said yes. So she got dressed in rain boots and two rain jackets because it was super muddy. Then he threw her in with the wolves. He did tell her some very important information while she was in there; just to prepare her for her encounter. He said "When they bite your hands they are only saying Hello!!!" Wow, how scary right? Then after some wolfy wrestling, one of the wolves earned the right to sit next to her. Then Zoltan asked her if she had ever heard a wolf howl up close? Of course she hasn't living in VA because there are no wolves just hanging around. So Zoltan howled, then the wolf sitting next to her howled. Then each and every other wolf began to howl too. Each on a different note. They formed a chorus of howls. Maggie said it was the most wonderful thing she has ever heard. It had the hairs on the back of her arms and neck standing up on end. It gave her a since of awe and deep fear. That is why she put wolves in the Shiver series because they are very amazing, awe inspiring and scary.

Next she answered some of our questions.

(they are not direct quotes only summaries)

Question: When you wrote the Shiver series did you already know what was going to happen in Linger and Forever, or did you just write them as they came to you?

Maggie:  Just like a road trip I may know the interesting stops (points) along the way, but I don't know all the details until I come to those points. There is a lot of re-writing and deleting involved before it is all finished.

Question: What else are you working on and is it a another series?

Maggie:  Well I have the Scorpio Races which comes out in October (Oct. 18th). It is my favorite book I have written so far. I would describe it as Jurassic Park meets My Little Pony.

Also she is working on another piece that she couldn't give us the details about. 

Question: Where you  surprised at how Isobel grew into a main character?

Answer:  Yes, I just really wanted to tell her story and I was surpirsed how it turned out. (Maggie said a lot more on this answer, but I was not fast enough to write it all down sorry. )

Question:  Did someone in your past give rise to Sam?

Maggie: Yes I tend to steal parts of my characters from people I see or people I have met. In school I knew a bunch of Emo kids and that is where I got the idea for Sam. I knew a lot of music people in my past because I was in a bag pipe band.  

Next Maggie sat down and we all enjoyed more music from 

Sulaiman Azimi.

 

He sung some songs from his up coming cd.

Including "Summer Girl" inspired by the Shiver series.

His cd will be coming out in August check him out here.

 Sulaiman Azimi

Then he picked the winner of the guitar raffle.

This is the Winner! I tried to get a picture of her as she was walking away.

Next it was book signing time!!!!

This is me and Maggie!!!

I got all my books, including Forever, signed and a ton of swag!!

Thanks again Maggie Stiefvater, Sulaiman Azimi, and Barnes & Noble for a wonderful night!!