#PitchDarkDays Recap

On February 5, the Mr. and me took a little field trip to the big city to attend the Pitch Dark Days Tour at Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Georgia! Four FAB authors in one place was just too much, I HAD to go! 

I'm so glad we did! Not only did we see the authors we went for, but we also got to see some of the wonderful Atlanta area bloggers and book enthusiasts. We also talked to a couple of other authors who were there supporting the authors on tour. And we got to visit one of our favorite bookstores! All in all it was a good night!

I'm sharing some photos we took and some of the notes and quotes I took down during the discussion. I wasn't recording or trying to conduct an interview or anything like that, these are just tidbits from what they were saying. 

Bird's eye view of the Little Shop! This is one of my happy places!

The Panel: (left to right) in the background is moderator Ali, then Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Tahereh Mafi, Veronica Rossi 

Me & Brodi Ashton

Who said she writes YA because you FEEL so much {as a teen} and everything is so life or death, just ask her about the time her grandma got her clown pants!

In regards to her switching formats from book one to book two, Brodi said that was the way it came to her and she was excited to go on a quest in the second book!

Me & Cynthia Hand

Who fell in love with YA because the pacing and stories. And she is jealous of today's teens who have this genre. She described reading YA like "coming home." Some of her favorite YA novels include Wicked Lovely, Carrie Ryan's Forest of Hands and Teeth and  Richelle Mead's works.

Cynthia also said in her own writing she is more a "panster" than a plotter. She has a vague idea of the ending but the visions change as she goes.

Signing away (left to right):

Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, Tahereh Mafi 

& Veronica Rossi

Veronica Rossi, Tahereh Mafi, Me & Mr

Veronica says YA because that's where she's at mentally and that it's so rich for writers with lots of first and carving of identities.

She also spoke about how she writes male characters, citing the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, having two brothers and now raising two sons. She's says she has always been a running with the boys type. Her writing helps her get out all the testosterone (so she doesn't grow facial hair!) 

She's got a sense of humor too boot!   

Tahereh said that she had always been a reader but wasn't a writer until after college! (Editorial note: Does that mean there is still hope for me!?! Maybe! :) She said she wrote five crappy manuscripts before she wrote Shatter Me (encouragement!) Tahereh allowed the character to dictate where she went and the first few pages of Shatter Me are the same as her first draft! 

As far as a "love triangle" in her books, she doesn't see it but then again she knows what's going to happen. And for a spoiler, if you haven't seen her videos, Tahereh says, "Chapter 62, Stuff Happens!"

Me with our BOOK HAUL!!

I can tell you all the authors were very kind and generous and if you ever get a chance to meet them... you totally should!

What a marvelously bookish good time!