This past week, I was in Tennessee for spring break. When I heard there was a YA convention about an hour and a half down the road, I thought, "Oh, cool." When I heard that Maggie Stiefvater, author of "The Raven Cycle," "The Shiver Trilogy" and "The Scorpio Races," was going to be there, I knew I had to go. My first impression of her was sheer amazement as she climbed atop the conference table right before her panel, and I thought "she's so much better than I expected." Much like you and I, Maggie Stiefvater has thousands of little things that combine to make her who she is. These are just a few of my favorite things. However, just because I love Maggie Stiefvater to bits doesn't mean that you feel the same. I hope that after reading this, you will have changed your mind.
1. She writes like a dream
Not only are her stories captivating (Werewolves? Welsh kings? Water horses? What's not to love?), but her characters are developed and relatable. During the conference, Maggie referred to herself as a "thief;" all of her characters are based off of real-life people. Everything, from her developing process to what little bit of influence she has in the publishing process, is golden and allows for lines such as:
More than anything, the journal wanted. It wanted more than it could hold, more than words could describe, more than diagrams could illustrate. Longing burst from the pages, in every frantic line and ever hectic sketch and every dark-printed definition. There was something pained and melancholy about it. (Stiefvater The Raven Boys)
2. She has a special sense of humor
Just check her twitter for proof. Prepare yourself for wit, sass and a little bit of healthy darkness.
3. She can do anything
Seriously, I'm convinced that there's nothing she can't do. She played bagpipes in college, she sometimes composes her own music, she fixes her own cars and she can paint/draw/proficiently complete other forms of art.
Here's the link to her Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/maggie_stiefvater/tracks
4. She is kind
After her panel, she was only supposed to sign until 12:30. Well when 12:30 rolled around, there were still people in line. Instead of shouting, "Come back at 2!" like most authors would have done, she finished up the line and still answered readers' questions and took pictures with them. Maggie is the real MVP.
5. She loves cars more than people
With the exception of her closest friends and her own flesh and blood, Maggie loves "things that go" more than the people around her. With cars that look like these, can you really blame her?
6. She knows what it's like to struggle with mental illness
Maggie has obsessive-compulsive disorder. She's very open with it; she doesn't let it control her life. She's willing to offer advice to those who are willing to take it. Maggie even goes more in depth with her blog post.
