Vlog 7: Victoria Aveyard Book Signing!

May 27, 2018
4 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkfFInbzNHU

So being totally frank here, I was totally starstruck by Victoria. She was honest and sincere but also funny and (for a lack of a better word) just super chill. People say you shouldn't meet your heroes yet your heroes inspire you for a reason. Meeting Victoria was a bit of an eye opener for me, and I'll explain why.

But first, a little (spoiler-free) backstory!

I started reading Red Queen back in January of 2016 for my grade 11 book report. (And yes, I was in grade 11 in 2016.) When I picked it from the list of books I was told to choose from, I honestly knew nothing about it except for the fact that it was dystopian. The list I had to choose from was LONG but not very detailed as they wanted us to choose books without seeing the cover or pre-conceived bias. Based on the term "red queen" alone I thought the book might be an Alice in Wonderland spin off.

Oh how incredibly wrong I was. Gratefully so.

I was immediately submerged into this post-apocalyptic North America called Norta, a land stripped of it's democracy when the world restarted and replaced with a kingdom. Mare Barrow, a poor red-blooded girl living in The Stilts is a thief. She dreads the mandatory conscription on her 18th birthday enforced by the King. The nobles of Norta are silver-blooded. They are considered the superior sub-species of human (by only themselves) due to their supernatural abilities, hence why their blood is silver.

In an instant before death strikes during a noble celebration, she too produces supernatural abilities. Abilities that no noble has ever seen or possessed before. Mare embarks on a journey and is thrown into a life she never wished for but was meant to have. She is trying to discover who she is, what she is and why she is while also facing love, the truth about the royal family, endless discrimination and death itself.

This is/was by far one of the best books I have ever read. It's filled with endless moments of unforeseeable circumstances that will shock you (no pun intended) to your very core. Well-developed relationships and motives within characters makes the story even more incredible. As an actress, promising character development, insightful motives and relationship building are all things I require in a good book.

Not to mention the ending! If there's one thing Victoria Aveyard knows how to write, it's an unbelievable ending.

I had to take notes on the novel for my report. I still have them all typed up on my laptop. They have served as a good refresher for me as I just started reading Glass Sword.

I check the Indigo events every once in a while as you never know when a local author is making their rounds for their book release. Not much comes to Vancouver unfortunately. However as soon as I saw that Victoria Aveyard - the author of one of my favourite books ever - was coming for her "In Conversation" War Storm book tour, I had to go.

I had borrowed Red Queen from my local library at the time of my book report, so I immediately went out to Chapters to buy books 1-3. Then I decided they were cheaper online at the Indigo website and bought them that way. Writing has always been something near and dear to my heart and now I had the opportunity to be in the same room as the woman who single-handedly blew my mine with her book. I could not miss this golden opportunity.

May 24th, 2018

8:44am

In order for me to be guaranteed a spot in the book signing, I had to purchase the final novel of the series "War Storm" as soon as the Chapters bookstore opened at 9:30am. So there I stood outside the store, coffee in hand for 50 minutes...and I did not vlog a freaking thing. Oh well.

They were only giving out wristbands to the first 200 people. Those wristbands guaranteed a spot AND a signature.

I kid you not, I was the 10th person to get a wristband.

6:15pm

I returned to the Chapters were the book signing was happening and BOY was there a long line. The signing didn't start until 7:30pm. I didn't get a seat but I did get a great view of the stage! I came with my books prepped in my ridiculously oversized Disney bag and waited desperately in anticipation.

7:30pm

Victoria came out and sat down at the panel. The room exploded in cheers, all 200 fangirls and their moms. For 45 minutes the group of us talked about everything - from Mare's origins and Victoria's background in screenwriting, the red queen movie and the story arch she always knew she wanted.

I was baffled when I got permission to ask my question for Victoria informant of the whole room.

"What is different about screenwriting and prose writing? Also, how do you get the attention of publishers?"

She appreciated my question and I got to talk to her about her background in screenwriting some more as she signed my books later on. (To see her answer, watch my vlog! Link at the top of this post.)

I left the book signing feeling inspired. I have been struggling with my passions for so long.

I was exclusively focused on pursuing theatre or acting. I was determined, I have been for so long. It's the thing I love most and the passion that I live for. However writing had always been sitting in the back of my mind. I though for a while that if acting was not what I decided to go into that I might be a journalist. But with the way media is today, it's not something I think I would enjoy.

However Victoria's insight about writing and her own back story has inspired me. I'm seriously considering attending school for creative writing or even and English degree in the coming years.

For now, I have the wonderful opportunity to start my BookTube series on my channel! This vlog will be the first of many to come, including book hauls, more signings and reviews! HCC Frenzy has given me the wonderful opportunity of reviewing their published YA and Adult novels on my YouTube channel... reviews coming soon! Thank you to HarperCollins Canada or this amazing opportunity.