Meeting Patrick Rothfuss

Monday, March 14, 2011

Meeting Patrick Rothfuss

Patrick Rothfuss is the author of The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear. Wise Man's Fear (hereafter shortened to WMF) was released on March 1, 2011. Pat's first book was introduced to me by my friend Bryan. Bryan is an avid reader and he said this was his favorite book EVER. Bryan is not one given to hyperbole so I knew I had to read this book. Wow. Name of the Wind is just....wow. If you like fantasy, adventure, epic novels, etc. it should be on your "To Be Read" pile. So, all that to say that when WMF came out, I bought it the day it was released. I couldn't read it right away because I had other responsibilities (like children and housework) but when I started it, I could hardly put it down to sleep at night. I don't know how Pat comes up with what he does. Amazing writing. (There are a few parts that are...PG-13, I suppose. Read those quickly and don't let your imagination get too into it.) Ahem.

I was checking Pat's website and noticed that he was going to be at a book signing at the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Huntington Beach, CA. That's about 40 minutes from my house and I jumped up and said, "Yes!" I've always wanted to go to a book signing and here was my opportunity! I told my friend Amanda about it (because she also read NOTW and loved it) and she was on board to attending the signing. Her little sister, JoJo also wanted to come. We met up and drove down there all together. Parking was CRAZY. Super crazy. No where to park crazy. We drove to the other side of the shopping complex and speed walked back to the bookstore. The signing was set to start at 7 p.m. and we arrived at the escalator to the second floor right as Pat was walking out. The store had anticipated 100-150 people showing up and set up about 100 chairs. 400 people showed up. FOUR HUNDRED. We stood in the line that snaked between the shelves and waited with many other rabid fans. A guy in front of us (pics following) brought his lute to be signed. His lute. 'Cuz in the book, Kvothe plays a lute. Now THAT is a fan. The guy even had red hair like Kvothe. My friend Bryan was there with some of his other friends toward the front of the line but we didn't see him there because the line was THAT long. Pat answered some questions (refusing to do any spoilers, yay!), read some passages from the book, and then told us an awesome story about his guinea pig that was also a fish. A guineafish. Amanda used her awesome drawing skills to sketch a guineafish in her sketch book that she brought along and showed it to Pat. He LOVED it. (It was really amazing.) We waited in line for 3.5 hours before we got to meet him and he signed my books and then took a photo with me. I told him that he could be a dwarf in Lord of the Rings and he laughed. *Note to self: Send Patrick Rothfuss a battle axe.*

It was a long night but totally worth it. Book signing with great author, bonding time with friends, reading time sitting on the floor of Barnes and Noble waiting, laughing at the guineafish story. *sigh* Twas a great night.