Serena Takes Adam Silvera On Tour!

Signage.

From left to right: Aaron Hartzler, Jennifer Niven, Adam Silvera, Holly Goldberg Sloan, and John Corey Whaley. Aaron was the moderator, so he had everyone do their introductory thing to start off. Then he said everyone on the panel would just throw questions at Adam until he couldn't answer anymore.  This was a lot of fun because they're all friends (though as JCW pointed out, he's the only friend who made it into the first page of acknowledgements in More Happy Than Not). Since it was a panel of authors who, for the most part, know each other really well, there were a lot of laughs and poking fun at each other, and it was highly entertaining being in a room with them. Seriously, if you ever get the chance to see JCW, Adam, and Holly panel together, do it.  So I suck, and I didn't take notes during the panel like I told myself I would, so I'll just hit a few of the highlights from memory.  Adam did not get Your Typical Writing Education. He didn't get his MFA or anything. He learned from reading and working as a bookseller (he started as a barista at a Barnes and Noble cafe in Manhattan and this was his first B&N event, so he said he has come full circle). Also writing Harry/Cedric fanfiction. As you do. I don't know about y'all, but I'd read it.  When Aaron was writing his debut, Rapture Practice, he called up people he grew he went to high school with and asked them to choose their own pseudonyms. Well, the people he liked anyway.  One of Adam's favorite moments of his publishing adventure was when he gave the very first signed hardcover copy of More Happy Than Not to the guy it's dedicated to.  JCW asked if the authors had thought about their characters' lives after the book ended. Adam said not enough that he thinks he could write a sequel, partially because his brain isn't in that place anymore. Holly said yes because she wrote a sequel about them. Jennifer said she gets fans who send her fanfics with alternate endings. Aaron said yes because his characters are all real people.  Jennifer asked if they were plotters or pantsers. The general consensus was that it varied by book. Holly brought up diversity and how everyone's life experience led them to write a story only they could write. Adam is half Puerto Rican and half white ("My dad is hella white."), and he grew up in the Bronx. JCW, who had no idea why Holly wanted to talk about diversity in regards to him, is from a really small town in the South. They both talked a little bit about how their upbringing made its way into their writing.  Lots more was said and a lot of hilarious moments took place, but again, I failed life and I forgot to take notes. *is sad* Anyway, after the panel, it was signing time! We got in line, and it was all very orderly because the B&N staff at The Grove is lovely.  I talked to JCW first, and he signed my copy of Noggin, which I'm super excited to read. I also got to give him a little corner bookmark that I made, and he said he would use it for all the books he'd read this summer, so that made me happy. Photo credits of the above photo go to Ms. Holly Goldberg Sloan. :) And then we moved over to the table to talk to Jennifer and Adam! Katie had All the Bright Places to get signed, and I had More Happy Than Not. I congratulated Adam on his debut, and he asked me where I heard about the book. I said various people were raving about it on Twitter, but I think I heard it first from Margot Wood, who we both adore. I gave them their own little bookmarks too. You can see them on the corner of their books kind of! They said they were cute, which totally made my night.  Adam's inscription in my copy of MHTN. #TeamMargot Tyler Oakley, a Youtuber we love, was also at the signing (surprise!), so we asked him for pictures. He's a real nice guy.  So overall it was a wonderful evening. The panel was awesome, the authors were lovely, and the food was really dang good. It left me feeling more happy than not. *winks*