Weekend book adventure, Catherynne M. Valente book-signing!
Posted on: October 22, 2012
Hubby and I spent the weekend away and had a delightfully nerdy and book-wonderful weekend.
Saturday was a board gaming party, where much Vegas Casino building, nun chasing, alien blasting and monster slashing fun was had by all. Also pies. I never realized there was such a thing as too much pie.
Sunday we found ourselves on the outskirts of Michigan State University. Had someone told me the MSU campus was that lovely, I’d have ended up there instead of my alma mater. so many brick buildings! We went to Curious Books, where I picked up a Steven Brust, some Cordwainer Smith, some Neal Asher, a Peter Watts, and a few other goodies. Great bookstore. if you are in Lansing, hit up Curious Books. Nicely organized store, friendly and helpful staff, and half the basement was old scifi magazines and anthologies, how sweet is that? North edge of campus, down the street from the super awesome bubble tea place and the very strange looking art museum, you can’t miss it.
After Curious, we hit up Schuler’s books and music. not much of a scifi section, and very much with the vibe of a chain bookstore, this isn’t my usual hangout. Ahhh, but this afternoon at Schuler’s was so very different. they bring in plenty of authors, but the woman they brought in this past Sunday, is someone very special and dear to my heart. Her books have held my heart in their pages, have caressed my face with their imagery, and they usually make me cry at the end. tears of agony, tears of happiness, tears of beauty, sometimes all at the same time. She’s an amazing author, and a friendly, funny, snarky, darkly brilliant person.
here’s a hint:
ok, so not really a surprise, since her name is the title of the blog post!
And yes, Ms Valente read from the first chapter of The Girl who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There. There were many oohs and aahs and then giggles at the jokes and puns about grown-uppy stuff. afterwards, there were questions on if she was working on another fairyland book (yes! and it’s a planned series of 5 books), if she’s working on another Prester John book (yes! but they aren’t sure if it will be published as part of an omnibus, or as a single novel), what her inspiration was for Deathless (having her Russian husband and his parents tell her stories of their homeland, many of which were thinly veiled political commentary), which of her books she’d recommend to an older-teen reader (none! no, wait, Orphan’s Tales doesn’t have graphic violence or sex in it), what fantasy books by other authors she’d recommend (you’re not aware of SF Squeecast, the Hugo winning podcast that she’s on?) among many others.
it was a truly amazing afternoon. When I got to the front of the line, she cheerfully signed my books and we talked a bit, and it was spectacular. I think I was glowing.
Then hubby and I then spent a ton of money on manga, and OMG, they are reprinting Ai Yazawa’s Paradise Kiss!! large format, horrifically expense, no extras at the end. . . and I will buy them all! if only to have all five spines match.
aforementioned goodies
Holo needs some honey pickled peaches.
13 Responses to "Weekend book adventure, Catherynne M. Valente book-signing!"
October 22, 2012 at 11:03 pm
I was happily reading this post (you had me at ‘Book Adventure’), and thinking how lovely there will be 5 Fairyland books in all, and then I saw the bit about Paradise Kiss! Reprinting them?!!!! Oh, they shall be mine!
October 24, 2012 at 9:37 pm
isn’t that the most wonderful surprise? Ai Yazawa is one of my favorite mangaka, so wonderful to find someone else who has even heard of this series. I wish I could remember the name of the publisher who is reprinting them. It wasn’t any of the big US manga publishers.
hmmm….. 5 fairyland books, and 5 Paradise Kiss volumes, coincidence?
October 23, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Such a great day, met CV and came away with lots of goodies. Winner!
Lynn 
October 23, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Sounds like a great time to be had – book weekends are always fun!
October 24, 2012 at 9:44 pm
anytime I visit a new city, I try to find a cool bookstore there. these 2 were extra cool!
October 23, 2012 at 11:14 pm
5? Really? There’s going to be 5?
Okay, I was so jealous that you saw Catherynne Valente, but that news just made my whole evening! 
I knew there were at least 3, but 5–!
October 24, 2012 at 8:53 pm
i couldn’t believe it either, but yes, five! she said September is a year older in each book. once they are completed, how wonderful would it be, for a child to read one every year, when they are the same age as the main character?
November 16, 2012 at 9:05 am
You got to meet to Catherynne M. Valente!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m just reeking with envy right now.
November 16, 2012 at 9:34 am
sorry. i should proofread my comments
November 16, 2012 at 3:40 pm
ha ha ha!!! i knew what you meant. She was very nice and talkative, and put up with like 40 of us rushing her afterwards for autographs. Her writing has had a huge influence on me, so getting to meet her was simply amazing. It was great to see such a big crowd there as well.
October 22, 2012 at 10:44 pm
Any weekend that involves bringing home Cordwainer Smith is a great weekend. I have that collection. Love it and love the cover.
So thrilled you got to meet and hear a reading from one of your favorite authors. That is so special and those moments just don’t come frequently enough. Very happy for you!
October 24, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Space Lords got me completely hooked on Cordwainer Smith, to the point where if it has his name on it, I want to read it. I mentioned that new purchase to another Smith fan I know, and the first words out of her mouth were “can I borrow that?”. she sure can!
three cheers for publishers who put some $$ out so their authors can tour around the country!