Casey McQuiston Stops in Austin for ‘The Pairing’ and Talks to Genevieve and Jared Padalecki

Casey McQuiston, the New York Times bestselling author, appeared at the Barnes & Noble at the Arboretum in Austin, Texas on Friday, August 16.

Before the signing, there was a Q&A session and chat with Casey that was hosted by Genevieve and Jared Padalecki.

Chairs were set up right down the middle of the store for attendees who purchased tickets in advance, which sold out quickly. Over 300 people were in attendance, either sitting in chairs, standing alongside the rows, weaved throughout the bookshelves, and some were even on the second level, looking down.

Casey, most known for their hit novels Red, White & Royal Blue, and One Last Stop among others, is currently doing a book tour across the country to promote their newest book The Pairing.

The energy in the room was infectious; many people clutched their copies of The Pairing, and many were excited to get a glimpse of the moderator, Gen Padalecki, too. As they were announced, they also announced that Jared Padalecki would be joining as a surprise guest moderator, and the audience erupted in cheers.

Before long, the three of them sat down at a table in the front to discuss the book. Gen and Jared were the perfect hosts for this. Gen and Jared are avid readers, and Gen even does monthly chats with authors over on Momentus to share her favorite books and talk to the authors.

Both Gen and Jared brought along their own copies of The Pairing, which had sticky notes to mark sections, highlighted quotes, and notepads full of questions and notes for Casey about the book.

They asked Casey about different parts of the book, inspirations behind scenes or characters and even quotes that they felt most connected to. The questions were also opened up to the audience, and the audience asked questions about different character traits, as well as a question about people trying to ban Queer books in libraries. It was an intelligent, and engaging conversation, and for people who had not yet finished or read the book, it made them all the more excited to finish or pick up their own copy.

At the end of the panel, they all stood up and said bye to the crowd, with Casey ready to sign books for those who had purchased the tickets. One by one, fans lined up, excited to see Casey and get their book signed, and the event was well run by the staff at Barnes & Noble.

The event was a huge success, and seeing the crowd be so excited before, during, and after the signing made the energy in the room even more infectious.

You can see more about Casey and their books, here. You can also read our review of the book, here.