The time I paid attention.

I actually noticed all of the talk that was going around about Legend. It was everywhere. Once I read the synopsis of the book, I was definitely interested. I found Marie online and saw that her release party was going to be held at MGRB. That's all it took.

We got up to the store about an hour before the start time. I immediately went to the signed YA section see what was there... I didn't get to stay long because there was a kid dancing along to the music and literally touching every. Single. Book. On. The. Shelves. With the YA section in a corner, there wasn't a lot of free space before he would have run into me.

I went to get seats and watched three girls set up a fruit and cheese platter, cupcakes and sparkling cider. One of the girls was freaking out about the cupcakes. Telling her friends that this was the Hunger Games, she was hungry and didn't want to share.

Marie was super sweet. She walked up to every person before the event started and introduced herself. I was really impressed that she asked the name of every person she went up to. She admitted to being nervous and asked if there was a long pause to start laughing or clapping to get things going again.

There was a brief reading before the Q&A started. She bribed the crowd right off the bat. The first person who asked a question got a super rare ARC of Legend. She also had the first UK ARC.

The best story she told was regarding the research she did. She searched for things like how to build a bomb, how far someone could fall before they died, how to make a Molotov cocktail and what bullet wounds looked like. With all of that, she was certain that her name was on a government list indicating she should be watched.

Once the signing started, we were lined up along the wall. I noticed that most of the cupcakes were, in fact, gone. I don't know who ate them all, I only saw people with the fruit and cheese.

I was the 4th person in line. With my book faced and my name printed on a post-it note, I approached the table. She signed my book and thanked me again for taking the time to come to her party.

Turns out the girl who was screaming about the cupcakes was a photographer for LA Weekly. I found that out when she asked to take our pictures for the paper. That should be interesting...

A bit off topic, I saw that Kami Garcia was going to be at the party, so I asked if I could finally get a picture with her. Even with all of the times I've seen her, she's always been busy and I've never wanted to interrupt. That includes seeing her at Comic-con. 

For Marie's party, Kami actually sat in my row, 2 people away. Did I get my picture? No. Didn't want to interrupt. And then she tweeted me to ask where I was. *facepalm*

Legend is the first book in a trilogy. I haven't read it yet, but I know I'll be following Marie Lu.