Author Events Ann Brashares

Tonight I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Ann Brashares, author of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Summer (of You and Me), and her just released book My Name is Memory.

Ann read from her new book which I already started while I was waiting for her to appear, and I can tell that the book is going to be amazing.  There is even a part that takes place in St Louis, which is very cool. In case you are  not familiar with this new release her is the publisher's summary from Powell's book:

From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and The Last Summer (of You and Me) comes an imaginative, inspired, magical book-a love story that lasts more than a lifetime. 

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has the memory, the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.  Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now Lucy in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.  A magical, suspenseful, heartbreaking story of true love, My Name is Memory proves the power and endurance of a union that was meant to be.

There were a lot of wonderful things Brashares discussed during the short time she was speaking. One was her special  love of libraries. "Libraries are where you go to fall in love," and she meant that both figuratively and literally. She admits to meeting  her husband at a library and that all of her books have been written at least partially at a library.

Many of the questions she got were focused on The Sisterhood books, and I learned some very interesting trivia. For instance, at one point even though she was halfway through the first book she actual wanted to scrap it. Thankfully, she decided that she was going to see it through. She also is currently writing a new book that will revisit the girls ten years later. Something to look forward to next year.

After finishing her first draft of My Name is Memory, her publisher sent it to Hollywood and  a bidding war ensued with Peter Chernin, of Chernin Entertainment a Fox-based production entity, winning the production rights.Whether or not the book will make into production is something we will have to wait and see.

My favorite quote of the night was when she talked about the connection between a reader and the author, "a book belongs to you [the reader] along with the writer. It is a collaboration."

Here is Brashares getting ready to sign my book, and another one afterwards. 

Brashares has a wonderful website that you can check out for updates.