A few days ago we told you that Rick Riordan will be going on another book tour for his latest novel, The Mark of Athena. Now we’ve got some extra information about what you can expect if you’re able to attend one of the events!
First of all: t-shirts! Disney-Hyperion has printed 1,000 t-shirts for each place Riordan will be attending. From what he understands, the first 1,000 people to buy a signed The Mark of Athena book will get either a Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter shirt. No word yet on if it’ll be random or if you’ll get to choose the shirt you want. He does say, however, that each event is a little different, so be sure to double check with the location you’ll be attending for exact details.
The author also warns that if you’ve attended events before, be sure to not necessarily expect the same thing you got last time. Due to some overwhelming numbers recently, he’s had to change up the way he does these book tours. In the past, he’s been able to talk to fans, take pictures with them, and even make book signing a bit more personal.
Now, however, he’s unable to make the same commitment because it isn’t fair to the fans (or his back, he also says). So, what can you expect if you’re able to attend one of the stops on his book tour? For starters, there won’t be a signing line at all. He’ll sign the books before the even starts and they will (more than likely) be your ticket into the event itself.
Once you buy the signed copy, you’ll be let in and Riordan will speak for about an hour. He says, “I’ll tell you all about how and why I wrote the books. I’ll show you behind-the-scenes cover art that was never used. I’ll make stupid jokes. I’ll read a never-before-released section of an upcoming Percy Jackson story. And of course I’ll answer your questions, as many as we have time for. It’s always a blast!”
He also warns against bringing your books from home – he won’t have time to sign them. It sounds like only the people who get a chance to buy a signed copy of the book will be let in. So once those 1,000 copies are gone, the doors will close. (Of course, you should always double check with the bookstore you’ll be attending to make sure this is the case for your specific location.)
Another note: it looks like Riordan won’t be making it out of the country any time soon (if ever). He says that he must spend most of his time writing and between that and his family, he doesn’t get a chance to cover much of the United States, let alone the world. But he’s got some positive parting thoughts:
“As I always tell people, however, the main way that I communicate with you is through my books. I may not be able to meet you in person, but the best way to get to know me is to read the books. Each one is a private conversation between me and the reader, and I love you guys! You’re all awesome. So if I get to see you on the tour, fantastic, but either way, I hope you’ll enjoy The Mark of Athena!”
If you could choose, would you pick a Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter shirt?
Source: Myth & Mystery
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