There was a literary cocktail with Garth Nix last week (1 March 2012), technically he was here in Singapore for a few school visits, a free event at The Arts House on Wednesday for a promo of his new book A Confusion of Princes and well, this one!
It was supposed to be at the Blue Room but it was held at the Earshot Cafe.
It’s cozier there.
A ticket has a drink included too. A choice of a cocktail or mocktail called Sabriel’s Surprise. It’s got a bit of mint leaves in it too.
And here’s Garth Nix showing us his book covers. It was a lovely session too. Choice quote from his session, “Finish it. Finish your writing, if you don’t finish it, you won’t know what happens”. Also that the covers he showed us above in the picture? It was a good way to show what books you have written since at least it’s easier with each cover in a chronological way.
I’ve noticed that in all the author events I go to, they have their specific notebook. Garth’s notebook is a black hardcover notebook with red corners.
The process on how he writes is that he writes each chapter, notes down when he starts it and at the end of the chapter, he writes down the time and date on when he finishes it. That’s how he can specifically answer how long it takes for him to write each story.
There were refreshments and finger food too after he finished his session (he gaves us a reading from his phone of what could or could not be in Clariel since it’s a draft) and we got to ask him more questions and listen to him! Before that though, when he was finishing it off with all the book stuff, he was giving away an Abhorsen bell charm. The last one since it’s not in production any more until perhaps some months later for it’s all sold out.
He asked us to write down a number on a piece of paper to guess the number he was thinking of which would be between 1 to a 100. I picked 72.
He said 63 and we all opened our paper slips to him.
I was the closest along with another gentleman sitting diagonally at me table. Since it was indeed a bracelet bell charm, the gentleman let me have it instead of us flipping a coin for it!
HUZZAH! The book’s mine and I got it autographed too.
I got Mosrael. A production sample and it’s the one with the black handle. Isn’t it neat? The silversmith’s is Oliver Smith and he was commissioned by Garth to make the set. If you’re thinking of getting them whenever the charms are available once more, just buy it for it’s beautifully crafted.
Meanwhile, this is all thanks to Singapore Writers Festival’s Words Go Round thing, let’s see what other authors will they invite this year to visit.
