So, I've been to a few book events in my life as established. I attended the Riordan event which was the happiest day of my life and that can't be taken away from me and I've worked them like mentioned prior.

There haven't been many awful events that I worked on as a bookseller and even though there were challenges, I haven't had a mental breakdown from working at an event.

Now I'm not saying I had a mental breakdown or am currently having a mental breakdown as I write this post (for context I just got back from the event) but I never had been so emotionally jostled by attending not one but two of R. F. Kuang's events.

The first time I went, it was back in September and if you look online at how that went, it wasn't the best. They underestimated the turn out and it was bad. I didn't get my book signed, and I arrived there 2 hours early and they last minute made the event ticketed. Upsetting but I'm not surprised. Have an unticketed event for a famous author and you're asking for mayhem.

Went today, and I was hoping it would be a redemption arc. Now to give context, people were able to purchase Kuang's newest title through the event host via preorder or buy right there.

I get a discount on books. I only shell out money if it's a special edition and the event had the option not to buy the book so I didn't buy the book. I have a signed edition coming from Waterstones in hardcover (not like the awful paperback they were selling) so I held off. If I wanted the plain boring edition, I would've bought it during the staff sale happening the same week where we get 40% off. I am cheap because I am poor. Minimum wage doesn't pay much.

But I did buy a really pretty edition of Babel that is unsigned. I tried to get this book signed two times prior. The first time wasn't anything I could do but the company said they might have had enough signed book plates for everyone but don't get your hopes up. I didn't get it obviously but no big deal, there was an event I was going to. That was a disaster. Alright. We have a redemption arc for another tour in May. They sent out an email saying that any book by her can be signed after previously sending out an email that only Yellowface will be signed.

At the event, they said only one book per attendee will be signed by the author. Totally cool! I want to get the book that has evaded being signed twice to be signed.

Yeah, I didn't get it signed.

This time it wasn't run by my company and it was still just as bad.

The conversation part of the event ended and people lined up to get their books personalized even though all the copies of Yellowface are already signed. That was their first mistake. They should've done all that in advance and dealt with the hassle of finding people's specific books and sending them off their way since most people would be happy with that. The line was too long, time is too short.

Or actually, their real first mistake was saying she'll sign any of her books for the event and then changing it last minute to say she's only signing her newest book.

They told me I had to buy her book at their location since it was the only book she was signing despite saying otherwise in literally everything else. I get to have one book of choice signed by her but my only choice is her newest book? I'm sorry but I'm out of there.

They also made it a safety and fire hazard to have people crowding the entrance/foyer which made it impossible for people to exit and didn't think sooner to create a snaking line in the main goddamn seating area.

I'm fucking tired of these event organizers underestimating the popularity an Asian female author can have on people and also last minute changing their rules because they fucked up and they keep overestimating their time to run signings.

On the bright side, my special edition of Babel is now officially cursed in my eyes. That makes it an even cooler book and cursed items are always cooler than not cursed items.

Also, to give a review of the Riordan event to not make this whole thing depressing, I went with my accidentally adopted son who was a fan of my work before he became my coworker. Everything went so smoothly and Oshiro is so funny and energetic and I really need to read all their backlist. That signed copy of "The Sun and the Star" is now my most prized book alongside the free t-shirt I got from it. I really got emotional when I saw so many kids and queer folk there and the event was so queer, it gave me hope for the future.

But yeah, if you ever go to book events with live signings, don't get your hopes up. Not unless the author is tiny and they sit sadly off to the side hoping someone would buy their books. Or get a pre-signed book. Pre-signed books are just as good.