Author Event - Ghost and Graves Tour: Jessica Verday and Michelle Zink

I was lucky enough to attend the "Ghosts and Grave Tour" stop at the Otis Library in Norwich, CT today. As some of you know, I am friends with their YA Librarian, Jen, also known as Yabooknerd. As soon as she let me know that both Michelle Zink and Jessica Verday were coming to her Library, I worked my schedule so that I could go be a little fangirl!

Both Jessica (left) and Michelle (right) read from their books. It was awesome to hear the authors read their own work. They also answered lots of questions and explained why they were touring together - answer: they both write what could be termed "YA horror" books, though Jessica's are contemporary supernatural and Michelle's are historical gothic.

I was beyond excited to meet Michelle Zink. I adored her book, Prophecy of the Sisters (see my glowing review here), and am beyond excited now to read my shiny new signed copy of its sequel, Guardian of the Gate.



As you can see I'm very happy with my signed copies of the books! I also got some really, really great bookmarks and a perfectly book sized bag, that said "Prophecy of the Sisters" on the side to take my books home in... *squee!



I also got to meet Jessica Verday, who was wearing the chicest outfit ever, btw., and found out that we actually have the same name! Verday is a "pen name" based on her middle name, but her real name is also Jessica Miller. :) OMG - I think she may be my way cooler, author alter-ego. Awesome!

I took home a signed copy of her first book, The Hollow, and will get its sequel The Haunted on my Nook eventually. I didn't have enough money to get it tonight... :( Oh well. As Jen's unofficial, semi VIP guest (*squee, again!), Jessica also gave me an awesome t-shirt, that I'm trying to figure out how I can incorporate into my work wardrobe.





The front of the t-shirt says, "R.U.H2?" The back says, " Haunted by the Hollow - www.JessicaVerday.com" So cool!


*Update - Look I managed to rock my free t-shirt at work, paired with a skirt and swingy cardigan!*

As part of their tour, the ladies both gave out door prizes. Jessica gave out samples of the perfumes from her books, a copy of The Haunted, and a CD that helped inspire the books. Michelle gave out a copy of The Prophecy of the Sisters, a CD that her son originally composed that is inspired by the books (which I won, OMG!), and together they gave out an Ipod Shuffle.



Jessica and Michelle were super sweet and gracious enough to pose for pictures for Jen and I. I can't tell you how awesome it was to meet them both and we even got hugs goodbye!! (pictured above, Jessica Verday, Jen, Me, and Michelle Zink)

I want to give a huge shout-out and thank you to my friend, Jen, who was an amazing hostess (and even made awesome gravestone shaped cookies)!!

Prophecy of the Sisters

Prophecy of the Sisters
by Michelle Zink

An ancient prophecy divides two sisters - one good...one evil...who will prevail?


Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.

Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.

They just know they can't trust each other.
(Description taken from Amazon.com)

I actually listened to this book on CD after reading Greenbeanteenqueen's review. I had heard a lot about this book, but knowing it was "gothic" had temporarily put me off. It's really funny, I tend to love gothic books once I get past the first few chapters; I just never seem to want to pick them up in the first place.

Let me tell you, with this one, I am SO glad I finally read it. Partially it was listening to Eliza Dushku (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bring it On, Dollhouse) read the book in her very even-toned, no nonsense way that helped to really carry across Lia's voice, but it was also just the perfection in the vocabulary and tone of the book.

Zink does a fabulous job utilising beautiful vocabulary that, yes I know but never remember to use!, to bring us mentally back to a time when society behaved altogether differently and a girl's life should not be devoted to trying to fulfill a prophecy without ending the world!

The mystery and otherworldly-ness of this book is utterly compelling. I found Lia to be a wonderful main character, and I loved to hate, and sometimes feel sorry for, her sister Alice, right alongside her as the plot developed.

I cannot wait to read Guardian of the Gate to see what else is revealed before the final showdown in book three!! I really hope, too, that they get Eliza Dushku to narrate the next book...I couldn't stop driving around!