Well cross another square off my gay bingo card of life, I met a Spice Girl. Not just any Spice Girl but Ginger Spice, in my gay opinion, the only one worth meeting. To be honest, I’m not a huge Spice Girls fan, but who doesn’t love “Wannabe.” When Geri Halliwell went solo with her album Schizophonic that’s when I took notice and became a fan. When she announced, she was coming to the USA to promote the release of her new young-adult book “Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen” with some book signings, I knew I wanted to go.
The more convenient New York date sold out which was unfortunate because I was in New York that day anyways for a Lenka concert. I could have doubled my divas and doubled my fun. The following day Geri was just over the border in New Jersey so I booked off from work and stayed overnight in Stamford, Connecticut so I could take the train into New York for the Lenka concert and just have a forty-minute drive to New Jersey for Geri’s book signing.
I’d never been to Books And Greetings (271G Livingston St. Northvale, NJ) before but they have their book signing act together. I got there five hours early because I had nowhere to be between hotel check out and the event. The event was starting an hour early because parking was going to be an issue so I didn’t want to be scrambling for a spot. I was assigned number 95 out of 500 in line based on when I purchased my ticket online and it gave me time to start the book before the event.
When it was time for the event, you know a bookstore is hard-core when there’s an employee with a bullhorn. I stood among the fans gripping their Spice Girls memorabilia (vinyl, CDs, and dolls) in their Spice Girls t-shirts and some even dressed as Ginger Spice…good thing I left my English flag dress home. I waited patiently when they called customers 1 to 80 for what felt like an eternity as these insects that flew like moths but felt like beetles latched onto my neck and in my hair. That wasn’t enough to deter me from my mission.
Finally, 1 to 100 were called. I dusted off any hitchhiking bugs and went inside. I was excited to find that Geri agreed to sign one item of memorabilia (in my case, I brought my Schizophonic CD booklet) along with the book and there was a staff member to take a pic. The line moved quick, Geri was super sweet and gracious, and I left full of girl power.
Girl power continues into the fantasy world of “Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen.” The book takes place in modern times with a few historical figures making cameo appearances. I never read Harry Potter or The Hunger Games but I’m guessing it’s a little taste of both. It’s just enough history to hold my attention but not bore me and the fantasy is believable enough but doesn’t annoy me with made up words.
I flew through half the book waiting for the signing and finished it in a couple sittings because it was so addicting. It’s the story of a newly-orphaned, teenage girl named Rosie who is flown off to a remote island school that is part academy and part nature conservatory. Why she is sent there is a mystery to her, and as she tries to make friends and find answers, she’s only faced with more questions. The end rushes a bit to wrap things up and unfortunately not all is answered, of course, leaving room for a sequel.
