When I Went To The Mockingjay Signing...

Alright everyone! Here's the post that I promised two days ago (and if you didn't read that post, well... surprise!). I've tried to chronicle it as best as I can without being too wordy. I made a sort-of timeline from when I found out about Suzanne Collin's tour and up to the actual day of the event! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed typing it up!

The Day I Find Out I Can See Suzanne Collins (sometime at night):
 Me: *surfing the web, as usual*
*finds a promising link* Click.
*sees a Suzanne Collins signing on the 24th*
Me: O____O *calls friends* MOCKINGJAY SIGNING ALERT. WE HAVE TO GOOOOOOOO.
Friends: YAY YAY YAY. *PARTY*

August 23rd, around 6-7PM:
Twitter: Going crazy with Mockingjay fever.
Me: *Goes off to finish Catching Fire because I started a few days before. Yes, it took me this long to pick up CF. Yes, I know, THIS IS BAD.*
Me: *hours pass*  *thinks of First Novels Club going to BoW and wishing I was there!*
Midnight: The World Explodes Because Mockingjay Is Finally Here!

Fast foward!!!

August 24th, 4PMish.
Me: *At the bookstore and STILL NOT DONE WITH CF.*
*keeps reading until I finish, hurray! Friends arrived a few minutes ago but they are kind and let me finish*
(Man, CF had such a cliffhanger. Good thing I don't have to wait to find out what happens next, haha!) I went off to buy my copy of Mockingjay alone because Maeghan and Cristina (the friends ♥) already got their copies from other stores! Since the event's not starting for a few hours, we head out to eat and look around other nearby stores while waiting for Suzanne Collins (!!!) to arrive at the store. We get back a few minutes before 7.

7PM-The Madness Begins.

The line for to see Suzanne Collins was unsurprisingly very long. To pass the time, I fawned over my brand-spankin' new copy of Mockingjay, chatted a little with Cristina and Maeghan (they were a little bit behind me in line) and listened to everyone talking about how they got into the books, what they hope won't/will happen, etc. There were mostly teenagers but there was also a lot of young kids and adults waiting on line as well. I even saw a mother with her teenage son excitedly talking about the books and this exchange of words warmed my heart: it's so nice to see parents and kids talking about books that they've read together.

Then the speakers sounded and Suzanne's voice filled the store; the chatter died down and Suzanne thanked everyone for coming and as a treat began to read the first chapter of Mockingjay. Books were cracked open and the store was very quiet. Once she was done, people clapped and voices began to rise as the line started moving. (I didn't think Katniss would have a southern accent until Cristina explained to me that if Katniss lived in our time, she would because District 12 happens to be around the Appalachian Mountains and District 12 would be Tennessee. I didn't even think of that! .)

7:20 PM The lined inched forward at a slow pace and the realization that I was actually going to come face-to-face with SUZANNE COLLINS made me jittery and to calm myself I dug through my purse, looking for the never-ending supply of mints I carry around. I finally reach the end of the store and see how the line of people snaked around the store and I think, Wow. I'm so glad I came when I did.

7:30 PM We're finally in the same room where Suzanne Collins is!!! I caught a glimpse of her coming in but then I wind up in the back of room. The line is still moving slowly but I'm closer! It may not seem like it but at the other side of the sea of people, the mastermind behind Peeta and Gale is waiting.....

7:45 PM Somehow the line surged forward and moments before I see Ms. Collins, I can feel my stomach rolling around in tight waves. I AM NERVOUS AS HELL. A very nice lady (possibly a publicist?) wearing the mockingjay pin asks nicely for my book to be ready and I mention my intense slight nervousness. She smiles, saying that it's okay and this is what it's all about! Meeting the authors! The Books! Eeeeee! I snapped this photo of Ms. Collins stamping my book because HOLY CRAP, she's in front of me! (I don't know how but unfortunately she sprained her wrist and she wasn't able to sign the books. I was slightly bummed but the personalized stamp for the tour was really nice! I guess this signing was actually a stamping event??) I would've liked to take more pictures but there wasn't any more time ;(

Isn't the stamp pretty?!

7:58 PM Maeghan, Cristina and I all meet up at the end and sit down to talk about how fast it all went and yet it was still awesome. MOCKINGJAY WAS FINALLY IN OUR HANDS.

Later at home: I stare at my copy, marveling over the lovely shade of blue used for the cover and think, best night everrrrrr.

The end :)

*these pictures are actually mine so no stealing please!