First Book Signing & Meeting Jenny Han!

Hello! Today I’ll be talking about my first bookish event. I don’t really do “events,” per say.. I’m more of a get-in, get what you want, buy it and leave, kind of person. However, with re-reading To All the Boys I’ve Loved, and P.S. I Still Love You, and then finally reading Always and Forever, Lara Jean, thus finishing the trilogy, I realized that the To All the Boys I’ve Loved trilogy had become one of my favourites. So when I found out that there was going to be a signing event in Vancouver, I jumped at the opportunity to go. …Then I decided to not go, because who did I know that was going? No one; and then I think it was a day later that my friend Sam invited me to go along with her. 

Prior to yesterday (May 15th) when the event actually happened, I had never been to a book signing. I didn’t know what to expect, and to top it off, Chapters Indigo had titled this event ‘In Conversation: Jenny Han […] join Jenny Han as she signs copies of her surprise follow-up to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and P.S. I Still Love You, Always and Forever, Lara Jean.‘ I had no idea what to expect from this event, aside from the signing itself.

Before I left to go to the event I was slowly getting more and more anxious. Would I somehow end up being late — even though I left 3 hours early? Would my books get soaked in my backpack since it was raining? The answer to both is: no. I wasn’t late, and my books –thankfully– did not get wet on the way there, nor on the way back.

When I showed up at around 5:30PM (the event started at 7PM), there were already a gaggle of people there — mostly teenage girls. Once I did a circle of the store in search of my friend, I sat down in the appointed section of chairs because turns out, she was there in the group of chairs the whole time and I just couldn’t see her! When I finally got to sit down my nerves calmed a little.

Once the clock started ticking towards 7PM, we got our little sticky note with our names, so Jenny could (if we wanted) sign and personalize our books! A lucky 30 people had also gotten a little goody-bag with what I believe is some little stickers, a card-stock cover of Always and Forever, Lara Jean, and a recipe card titled something along the lines of “Lara Jeans Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.” I’m not only jealous, but envious of those who gotten their packages for arriving early!

It was a little after 7PM when Jenny came out, and we all cheered and clapped for her and then I suddenly wasn’t nervous anymore, I could relax and everything was fine. All the apprehension dissipated and I was having fun. When Jenny got seated at the table in the front, she started talking firstly about the weather, and how cold it was. Jenny also talked a little bit about how she has always wanted to do a signing in Vancouver, since all book signings typically go to Toronto. Then she went onto talking a little about the trilogy, and then we went into the questions!

The questions that people asked were actually pretty good. There were questions like “Why Jenny had made Lara Jean a bi-racial character”, “Who did Jenny relate to most in the books”, “What, or who, inspired Peter’s character.” Really, there were some great questions. After that it was time for the signing!

The signing portion of the night was really…well, short to be honest. That was something that I did expect. I have no qualms about that whatsoever though, since there were upwards of about, 150 people, maybe? We got to take pictures with Jenny as well, which was surprising and totally unexpected.

When it was my turn to go up and see Jenny my mind went blank. I was incredibly excited though! There I was, 90 minutes out of my comfort zone, at my first book signing! When Jenny saw that my name was Adele, Jenny told me that one of her best friends was named Adele and that the worst thing about her name was that when the singer Adele came out. I had the same problem to be honest! Everyone would ask me “Oh, do you sing?” That got old pretty quick.

After that the next five-ish minutes are a blur. I remember Jenny signing the books and being super nice and cheery despite the cold May weather Vancouver has been having. Jenny also seems completely down to earth as well. After she signed my books I said ‘Thank you!’, then I practically ran away since my anxiety was acting up, and the pressure of getting out of the way so the next person could see her was metaphorically blinking in my mind.

All in all, I had a really good time! The event was -moderately- quiet, and everything seemed to go smoothly. I almost didn’t go because my stomach had been acting up these past few days. I’m super glad that I did end up going. I have a new accomplishment under my belt. I’m proud to have gone!

Here are my reviews for: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, P.S. I Still Love You, & Always and Forever, Lara Jean!

Happy reading, everyone!
Adele