Where Your Readers Are

I went to see The Hunger Games movie when it came out this past Friday--but don't worry, I won't review it. Other people will do that a-plenty. It was good. Let's move on.

What I really wanted to share was not the actual movie watching experience, but my wait in line for tickets. We went early, my tween posse and I, hair in braids and super-excited. I was fully expecting to find a crowd of t(w)eens and parents, since the book is YA and all.

Guess again.

Cool observation #1: The majority of people in the theater were adults, male and female in equal amounts. We outnumbered the under-18 crowd, big time... Now remember, this is a YA.

Cool observation #2: Every single person in line that I talked to had read the book. One man my dad's age confessed he read the first book, then went back the next day to buy the other two.

Cool observation #3: There was a 9 a.m. showing just for the local school kids. Teachers are tying reading into movies--what a smart way to get everyone's nose in a book.

Coolest moment? Having a crowd of thirty-or-so people of all ages talk about a YA book. Not about the movie, but about the book. Your readers are at the movie theater. Pretty cool, huh?