Here's ANNA:
Just got back (last night) from the Cassie Clare release party and had such a blast. There were 400 signing tickets given -- and even more people there -- so I was counting my lucky stars to be one of the first in line at #11! Not to mention how lucky I was that Cassie's only U.S. signing for City of Lost Souls was so close to sweet home Chicago!
The event started with the City of Lost Souls playing on the big screen in the concert hall. The crowd was gasping and hooting throughout! Then, the actor who plays Jace (who is also the cover model on the book) came out to intro Cassie, the star of the night.
(the actor who plays Jace with one of the fans at the event)
She asked the crowd some trivia questions, like asking us to name on item on the menu at the restaurant they're always frequenting in the books. (Correct answer: Coconut pancakes.) And we found out people flew in from as far as Fort Worth, Philadelphia and L.A. just for the event. Amazing!
A few tidbits from the Q&A:
- Cassie always planned for Simon and Isabelle to get together because she loved doing a gender swap on the typical "tortured boy and shy girl" storyline.
- Someone in the crowd asked about the incest storyline and Cassie joked," I just got to the end and I was like: 'I know! INCEST!'" But in all seriousness, she had it planned all along and got the idea from a documentary she saw about a man and woman who were both adopted, married and later found out they were actually siblings. On Jace and Clary at that point she says: "This is REALLY forbidden love."
- There was a lot of talk about manga. And good manga. I could not follow along and only learned that I've been pronouncing "manga" wrong for a VERY long time. Whoops?
- Cassie said she wrote much of City of Bones while working at a New York City tabloid. The news would only come in late at night, so while everyone else sat around and shopped online, she wrote.
- Will's hatred for ducks comes from a real-life experience in London with author Sarah Rees Brennan in which she and Cassie accidentally fed duck pie to a bunch of "cannibal ducks," who then proceeded to chase them. "Never trust a duck!"
- Will or Jem? "If I were Tessa, I'd run off with Magnus," Cassie says.
- She says she has "a zillion" cast updates but can't talk about any of them yet. Though, she did say that they auditioned about 100 actors for Magnus this week.
- The idea for City of Bones came to her in a tattoo shop belonging to the woman who now designs the runes for the books.
- SPOILER ALERT FOR CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE: At least one major character will die.
- If she wasn't an author, she would be a "crazy cat lady." Joking! She said she'd just like to work with animals.
- Simon and Jace's "bromance" is a bit off in City of Lost Souls for obvious reasons...but it will be back on in City of Heavenly Fire.
- A fan asked what type of character Cassie would be, and she replied: "You want to be like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. But you'd probably be like Edmund in Chronicles of Narnia." Everyone wants to be a hero, she says, but that's not how it always works out.
- Magnus was based on her friend John, who had "the magical ability for glitter that would never wear off." One night, they were grabbing a soda at a pizza joint after a night of clubbing, when the woman behind the counter turned around, saw John and promptly dropped his drink, proclaiming, "Never in my life has I seen such a shining man." And, thus, Magnus was born.
- Simon and Tessa are the characters most like Cassie, and Magnus is the most fun to write.
- Church is an homage to Holly Black's angry cat.
- Why is Magnus banned from Peru? Cassie imagines its has to do with the Nazca Lines in Peru, huge and mysterious drawings in the ground that are said to have magical powers and are now a protected "wonder of the world"-type site. "Magnus got drunk and threw up on them."
- She hasn't nothing against adult novels and would consider one if she had a good idea once all her current series are finished. She'd likely do something high fantasy, along the lines of Game of Thrones.
Phew! So much good info, and Cassie was just hilarious and delightful. And now I have all my books signed, so I am such a happy camper.
While people waited for their numbers to be called for the signing, they could take photos with "Jace" or get runes "tattooed" on their backs. So fun and cute.
(Anna with Cassie)
********
Thank you SO MUCH Anna for this post and giving us a sneak peak over all the fun of last night's COLS launch party.
Thank you to Anna, we're giving away these two COLS goodies from last night's party.
Thanks for hosting me today! It was such a blast!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU Anna for being on MMs!!
DeleteI'm not sure I can pick just one character I'm excited about reading.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things going on with all of them. I guess mostly I was excited to find out just what had happened to Jace.
I wish I could have been there! What a fantastic recap, thank you Anna :)
ReplyDeleteWish I could've gone! Thanks for keeping us posted! :)
ReplyDeleteThe character I'm most exited for in COLS? Alec, because he's been my fav character sine City of Bones.
I ALWAYS get excited by Jace. ALWAYS!
ReplyDeleteI love Jace but I cannot really decide. They are all awesome as we know :)
ReplyDeleteOh my god, I wish I could have been there. Thank you for giving away a piece of the celebration.
ReplyDeleteMy love Jace
ReplyDeleteIt's always Jace ;).
ReplyDeleteI like Simon.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Jace.
ReplyDeleteBut Clary and Sebastian too.
Simon and Izzy! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's an easy one to answer- Jace;)
ReplyDeleteJaceJaceJaceJaceJaceJaceJace .. sorry.. minor *cough* MAJOR obsession going on haha
ReplyDeleteAll of them... there was so much going on at the end of CoFA how can I possibly pick one?!?
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I read all the questions and comments, but the one that I keep thinking about is the spoiler of CoHF. Yikes!
JACE!
ReplyDeleteMagnus Bane. ;)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Jace... especially based on the actor who plays him. *insert salacious "he can slay my demons anytime" reference here*
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Jace.. he's my favorite! :)
ReplyDeleteI want to see Izzy and Simon... and of course Jace hahaha
ReplyDeleteIt's a really close tie between Jace and Magnus, I love them both!
ReplyDeleteI'm going with Jace :)
ReplyDeleteOh I'm going against the grain...Sebastian! I'm a sucker for the villan!
ReplyDeleteProbably Magnus, or maybe Izzy
ReplyDeleteI want to read more about Magnus and Alec! :D
ReplyDelete-Emily D
So jealous you got to go! I didn't know that about Simon and Isabelle. Thanks so much for sharing! I love posts like these :)
ReplyDeleteprobably isabelle but maybe magnus also
ReplyDeleteJace and Magnus! I love them both!
ReplyDeleteI am jealous too!! I love Simon...so I am excited to read about him=)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could have made the trip. Awesome post! I want that heal ruin! I'm a nurse and have always wanted one. Maybe I should rectify that situation.
ReplyDeleteThe character I'm most excited to read about is Jace because I have loved his moody self from day one.
Excited to read about Jace & Sebastian and also Izzy & Simon
ReplyDeleteJACE AND CLARY!
ReplyDeleteJace, Clary, Simon, Magnus, Alec, Izzy..I can't pick! All of them! Even Sebastian! :D
ReplyDeleteClary is my all time fav. She has worked her way up and she can kick ass now :) I do how ever love Jace too :)
ReplyDeletei just cant wait to read this one.. im so excited
JACE!!! Always Jace!!!! <3 I need to know that he'll go back to being his old self in this book!
ReplyDeleteHaving just finished the book, I'd say the character I was most excited to read about was Sebastian or Jace. Now, knowing what happened, I'll be looking out more for the Malec scenes in the reread. MALEC FOREVER!
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm excited to read about is Sebastian and Jace - to know that Sebastian is back means more trouble for the Shadowhunters.
ReplyDeleteI think Jace and Sebastian/Jonathan
ReplyDeleteI am actually excited to read more of Johnathan. He is still such a big mystery and now we get to see a whole lot more of him. I definitely can't wait.
ReplyDeleteI am a big Magnus fan!! I love him! Really though, I am looking forward to reading all of them. I love all the characters so much and each of them makes the others who they are.
ReplyDeleteI cant wait to read more of Jace and Magnus :)
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to read more about Jace and Sebastian! Thanks for the giveaway:)
ReplyDeleteI'm sooo excited to see the whole Jace-Sebastian OMG!! I'm sooo excited!!!
ReplyDeleteOf course....Jace!
ReplyDeleteI can't say yet sadly. This series has been on my must read list. Hopefully soon. *crosses fingers* Thanks so much for the chance to win!! You must had an amazing time. So lucky!
ReplyDeleteDeAnna Schultz
I really want to read more about Jordan Kyle!
ReplyDeleteI love Jace, and Simon, but I'm really, really interested to read more about Sebastian.
ReplyDeleteSo loved this book!! Can't wait for the last book in the series. It will be a sad day when the series is done. Cassandra you are the best <3
ReplyDeleteI loved this book!! I can't wait for the last book in the series. I will be so sad when the series ends :( Cassandra you ROCK <3
ReplyDeleteOhh I would love to read more about Sebastian.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read about Alec and how he is dealing with Magnus' past.
ReplyDeleteI'm always excited to read more about Clary and Jace.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read about Jace!
ReplyDeleteActually Im looking foward to Jocelyn/Luke scenes. And Magnus. Always Magnus.
ReplyDeleteSo excited to read more about Magnus!
ReplyDeleteLUCKY! Too bad I couldn't go :( and the giveaway is not open to Canada :'(
ReplyDeleteJace! Why freakin' not?!
ReplyDeleteJace.! because i want to know whats going on lol
ReplyDeleteJace! :)
ReplyDeleteSimon! I just Love him xD
ReplyDeleteJonathan, especially after watching the CoLS book trailer.
ReplyDeleteSebastian/Johnathan. Thanks! :D
ReplyDeleteGotta know about Jace but want to see where Izzy and Simon go!
ReplyDeleteI want to know about Simon and what happens to him!
ReplyDeleteThis was such a great event - great recap Anna :)
ReplyDeleteI want to hear more about Simon and Izzy... the teasers killed me!
ReplyDeleteI want to find out what happens with JACE, ahhh I am in love with him. Character swoon...:)
ReplyDeletethanks for the chance to win.
xoxo
I am so excited to read about Malec...okay, I know thats cheating. But still! I'm very curious about Alec and Magnus.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway! :)
I'm about to read it!!! cant wait
ReplyDeleteThank you to everyone for leaving comments! I've enjoyed reading through them. This giveaway is now closed!
ReplyDelete