Author Event: Meeting Jeri-Smith Ready

Go Ravens.

Sorry - I had to start my post out with that. Like Jeri said, we Ravens fans have to stick together ;)

Told you, Go Ravens!

Sana and I drove to the Harrisburg area to attend Jeri's midnight Shine release party at Cupboard Maker Books.



We got there around 9:00 PM and there were only a few people there. So we made our purchases (even though we couldn't actually get Shine until midnight since it wasn't out yet) and we looked around the store. (Poor Sana, who has cat allergies, was miserable by the end because they had about five cats wandering about) They had a bunch of 'raffle' baskets...some for romance, erotica, supernatural, and a few young adult. I threw some of my tickets in the young adult prizes and supernatural. (Which, by the way, I did win one of these amazing gift baskets...one of the Young Adult ones, to be exact)

Gift 'basket' that I won!

Jeri showed up around 9:30 PM and mingled with everyone. Sana and I kept to ourselves because we didn't wanna just go over and be like 'yo' lol. She chatted up a few of the other fans that were there while Sana and I talked about the site. We also went outside and took a picture of the sign advertising the signing and then took pictures of us with the sign. (Yes, we're a bit on the nerdy side...) Went back inside and I took a picture of the Hogwarts crest painted on the floor (seriously, if I could have this on my floor, I so would). Jeri came over to us and we introduced ourselves. Once I mentioned that I talked to Logan on twitter about football, she immediately recognized me as monkeybymyself. I think this is how we got on the subject of twitter apps which we talked about for a good five minutes...until the pizza arrived and then all thoughts went out the window and everyone only focused on FOOD!

The sign advertising the signing out of the store!

More people start showing up between 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM and let me tell you, it's like they all knew each other. (And I'm pretty sure they were ALL from the same high school) I felt old, I really did. I've been to a lot of signings and only one or two were most of the audience teens. A lot of signings have mostly older people (and I've been to one where most of the audience were senior citizens, which was pretty awesome). But everyone was nice and we all talked about books (or sports cause ya know, I'm a huge football fan).

This was the most unique and laid back book event I have ever been to. There wasn't a Q&A session nor a reading but that didn't bother me one bit. You actually had time to sit down and just talk to Jeri like the normal human being she is (plus the fact that she rocks so much more than I ever could & she can write...minor details, right? ;) lol). She took her time with every person during the signing line, as well - which is great because I had about 8 books for her to sign. (I do believe the guy behind us was getting irritated we were taking so long! Sorry fella!)

Jeri signing my copy of Enthralled . . . or is this Logan signing my book? ;-)

Look for a huge Shade giveaway in the near future... ;)

Thank you to everyone at Cupboard Maker Books for hosting this wonderful event and more importantly, thank you to Jeri Smith-Ready. For not only writing this amazing series (that I've now become obsessed with) but for being so down to earth, personable and fun. I will definitely be seeing you again even if I don't have anything for you to sign! :)

LOOK! Logan signed my Enthralled book!

Jessica and Jeri Smith-Ready

Everything that I got signed when I met her! Soooooo pretty!