I'm going to keep this one short and sweet because it is 1:30 in the morning and it's actually so ridiculous that I am even at my computer right now. But I have to get this out.

I am just getting settled after my long drive home from Tracy Deonn's Chicago stop in the Oathbound Tour event and here are a few of my impressions... well, after a photo of course!

Aren't we cute? This is the moment where Tracy Deonn asked me if we are still talking after what she did to us in Oathbound. Bahaha. Anyway, my impressions:

1. Tracy Deonn may be one of the funniest authors I know. Not only did she keep us laughing during the event, while answering all of the crowd's questions thoroughly and creatively, but she also took several opportunities to directly laugh at us when she caught us misbehaving in the crowd. Which I find hilarious. I have never seen an author heckle the audience before and I'm here for it.

2. Tracy Deonn is very open to peer pressure. At one point during the event, she responded to someone who was asking about a possible prequel centering Sel and Bree's mothers and she not only let us bully her closer to a yes, but she even dreamed out loud what it would potentially look like. And um... I need. (And while we are encouraging, can I just say that Michael sounds like a GREAT rootcaster name for book four. The people want this, Tracy.)

3. Tracy Deonn genuinely cares about the community being built around her stories. Not only is she always playful, familiar and honest to a degree that I am confident her editors do not appreciate, but she also puts effort into looking her fans in the eyes and remembering our names when she can. I think I speak for all readers when I say what a special moment it is when we walk into an event in our fangirl era and are greeted familiarly by the people we have come to respect and admire. Obviously, authors cannot be expected to know every faithful reader. Especially at Tracy's level of success. It's not even reasonable to expect her to recognize every bookish influencer who regularly talks about her work. But not only has she greeted me by name (in a way that feels very intentional) multiple times (including the very first time we met), but I have seen her do that with so many others as well. But even the readers whose faces she cannot place and whose names she does not yet know, she greets them in a friendly and familiar way that I just find so endearing. And I repeat... I am not suggesting this is something we should expect from authors. Please don't start calling authors mean for not trying to be your friend, lol. I am just saying that I find it very endearing and I appreciate knowing that she must actually be watching our content, reading our blogs, and paying attention when we praise her. (Just to test that theory out, if you are here Tracy, please confirm I will be getting an ARC of book four BAHAHAHA).

4. I don't remember what Tracy was asked, but during her answer, she said something close to: Contemporary fantasy is the field on which we practice revolution. I may have gotten a word or two wrong, as I wrote it down a few minutes after she said it, but that is the spirit of what she said. And I just wanted to highlight that and talk about it. Because I’ve seen way too many of you reduce this to a story about a girl who can't choose a boy (which would be fine. That can be a delightful story.) But I need us to remember that people are more than one thing. Yes, a piece of this series is a story about a girl who can't choose a boy. But it also about a girl who must become a king. It is also a story about a girl who is being asked to be a woman long before that should be her burden. It is also a story about a girl who is surrounded by people who want to strip away her identity and steal her purpose. And it is also a story about a girl who deserves to just be a girl who can't choose a boy. Bree is a girl who, like so many Black girls in our real society, is being asked to give up everything about herself and her childhood so that she can be a prop and a savior...a sacrifice for people who can't even be bothered to see her as more than their need of--and disdain for--her. People who both reduce her and expect too much of her. And through Bree, we get to watch as Tracy asks us to pull back the curtain and see a Black girl who refuses to be told who she is. And that, in itself, is a revolution we should be practicing.

   Look, y'all know me. I do not fangirl generally. And when I do, nine times out of ten it is going to be an indie author, because I LOVE telling you just how special indies are to me. But I love me some Tracy Deonn! And I really hope we had a good enough turnout to ensure a Chicago stop in the next tour, because I do not want to have to road trip again! lol So Chicago, MAKE SOME NOISE FOR OATHBOUND PLEASE.

Sorry if y'all came here for a book review. That'll be up in a couple of days. I have A LOT to say, and I want to give you all some more time to finish the book before I dive in to my review. Speaking of which, I will be hosting an event early next week (Probably Monday or Tuesday) with a couple of other Bindery creators that will be ONLY for people who have finished Oathbound. And I mean that... we are going to be talking about all of the tea, so READ THE BOOK NOW if you want to come hang out with us and theorize about what evil Tracy has in store for us in book four! More info to come over the weekend!

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