Suzanne Collins! -includes Spoilers about the trilogy--

Another terrific event last night at Kepler's!
Suzanne Collins is probably the biggest author I've seen live and in person. I'm such a huge fan of the Hunger Games series. Apparently I'm not the only one!

So excited they flipped upside down!

Here is Ms. Collins speaking with Angela Mann, fantastic event planner and her Scholastic escorts:



Suzanne read an excerpt from Catching Fire in a Katniss accent she coined "Futuristic Appalachian". It was the bit about Cinna creating her Mockingjay costume. She followed that up with the first part of Mockingjay ,which filled her eyes, and mine, and probably most of the audiences with emotion.

Kepler's had the fun idea to hand out signing tickets in order of Districts. Two of the ticket holders were asked to compete in the Hunger Games. (Asked? Told! Forced!) A ten year old girl and an older mom stood in front of the crowd and shot each other with Nerf cross bows. (The same ones I was pictured with awhile back at the pizza party.) It was unsettling to see the ten year old chosen and with the weapon, even though it was meant for fun, it brought back the scene in which Primrose was chosen as a tribute and Katniss took her place.

I was in District 1 and was one of the first to get my book stamped and to meet Suzanne. Angela introduced me, we shook hands, and I asked my one question.

I asked her if, when mapping out her trilogy, she always knew the third book would end with Prim's demise.

I'm not going to tell you her answer.
Because I'm mean like that.
Plus, she sort of leaned in and quietly gave me the answer so perhaps maybe she meant it to stay between us.

I like to think so anyway.

Me and Suzanne share a secret. ;)

I also told her I thought the ending was brilliant and then Security dragged me away.
First part true.
Second part false.

I was thoroughly behaved.

Anyway, no matter how you felt about her third and final novel, you did feel something. You had to.

And that's the job of an author in my opinion. To make you feel.

Suzanne Collins is a master of storytelling and it was an honor to meet her in person.