Happy Halloween!

So, I was planning on posting the 7th of every month, since it's the day that my book was published...but it's Halloween! I've got to do something, right?

I have mixed feelings about Halloween. Since I'm Catholic, I'm not into the whole satanic horribly scary stuff. I know that it's out there. I'm just glad that I don't know anyone who actually is into that stuff. That aside, I do really like Halloween...or as my fellow Catholics would (or should) call it: "All Hallows Eve". The eve of All Saints Day. The two days we honor those who have die: the ones that we are almost completely sure that are in heaven (saints day Nov. 1st) and all of our loved ones (All Souls Day on Nov 2nd). But I do like pretending. A lot. I like to pretend that there are witches and wizards and mermaids. But people...you've got to understand the word "pretending". Okay. I'm done lecturing. Diana must be in my head today...So, I really like to think of my characters on Halloween.

I would really like to talk about a reader of my book today. She does not like fantasy or anything that is not real. If she's reading a book, it better be nonfiction or fiction that could happen in real life. No ghosts or mermaids or any other kind of magic for her. But because she loves me, she asked for a copy of my book and is reading it. And the ridiculous part? She's farther ahead of everyone else I've talked to who's reading my book too! It doesn't matter that other people started it before her.

More crazy? She's my grandmother. Yeah, ask your 90ish grandmother to read a fantasy book when she hates it. I didn't even ask her to read it. I'm not going to push my book on anyone, even a family member, if I know they don't like the genre. I know my older brother is probably not going to read my book. And I Know that my uncles won't. But it's okay. I respect that they are different and have different tastes. I didn't write it for them. It would be nice if they read it, but I'm not going to cry into my pillow every night just because they refuse to pick up my book and read it from beginning to end.

Getting back to my grandma: It's incredibly insane! You might say, "But Allyson! She has all this time on her hands!" To which I reply "But She Doesn't Like the Genre!!!" Imagine reading your least favorite book: maybe a Shakespeare play with no footnotes and NO SPARKNOTES! (she doesn't have a computer or smart phone, etc...so you wouldn't either). [By the way, I'm not picking on Shakespeare...I really like some of his plays]. Would you actually stick with it? I wouldn't think a lot of people would, but my grandma has stuck with my book.

I went to see her yesterday and couldn't keep my excitement in: I asked her quite a few questions.

Me: I know you don't like the genre, but what else don't you like about it?
Grandma: I don't like how a lot of the characters are... 
Me: "Not human?"
Grandma: Yes. And keeping up with all the characters and names. How do you pronounce....
Me: "Siren? Yeah...like the siren on an ambulance. I took it from the French word for "mermaid".
Grandma: Oh! And I also had to ask [my uncle] what a warlock is.
Me: So, how far are you?
Grandma: I'm on chapter 34.
Me: Wow! You're almost to [the climax...I won't say what chapter here]! One last question...who's your favorite character?
Grandma: Cassie. 

Now that really surprised me. She likes Cassie the best. I didn't get the chance to ask why. But wow. I would've figured it would be Diana or someone else. I can't say anything else on that...too many spoilers.

I'm just so excited! I wonder how far everyone else is in their copy...