Book Nerds Across America

I am not sure where I came across this information, but Monday night I somehow stumbled upon the news that Carrie Ryan was going to be doing a book launch party on Tuesday, March 22nd in Fort Lauderdale for her book The Dark and Hollow Places. This news initially made me sad, because I was supposed to be at a meeting at that exact same time. But if there's one thing I've learned from Tim Gunn, it's to "make it work!" I convinced the meeting organizer to move my part of the discussion to the end of the meeting so I could make the first part of Carrie's launch party.

Wow, I am so glad I was able to work that out! As soon as I got there, I went straight to Carrie and turned into total fangirl. I asked her to sign a book and some other other goodies* and to take a picture, all before she started talking because I knew I had to leave early. She was really sweet and gracious about everything.

Here's me and Carrie.

Shortly after she did all that it was time to start. Carrie started off telling us about the babysitter who both ignited her literary career and scarred her for life, then told us a bit about her background as a lawyer and her 10 year plan to be a writer. (The gist of the 10 year plan was that she was giving herself ten years to make it as a writer. She easily met this time frame after starting Forest of Hands and Teeth during a NaNoWriMo.)

See the necklace that Carrie is wearing? She bought it for herself after learning that she was a New York Times bestselling author. It's a little reminder for her of the day she heard the news and how she felt. When her editor called her and said, "Guess who made the New York Times bestseller list?," Carrie's first thought was, "I can't believe she's calling me to tell me about one of her other writers!"

Though The Dark and Hollow Places is the final book in a three-part series, Carrie said she would not be opposed to the "Four Book Trilogy." In the meantime, she has several short stories coming out in upcoming anthologies and is releasing a book next year: "It's not about zombies, but I think my fans will like it," she says.


Carrie wrapped up the talk by answering some questions and reading from the first page of The Dark and Hollow Places.

Another really cool part of the event was my experience meeting several other South Florida bloggers and writers. What a great group of girls! I look forward to getting to know them better.

Happy book birthday to The Dark and Hollow Places! I'm really glad I got to be at the launch party!


*Oh yes, the "goodies." That would be signed swag for our awesome blog readers! Want it? Leave a comment with a way to contact you, and you're automatically entered to win.