On Friday, September 26th, I attended a book tour event with my cousin, Mary Lynn, to hear one of our favorite authors discuss his newest book, The Court of the Dead. This book in particular was done in collaboration with Mark Oshiro, #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning Latinx queer author. Together, the two of them have written two books in a series following Nico di Angelo and his boyfriend, Will Solace. These two characters are originally from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series.
The first thing I noticed when arriving at this event was the wide range of people in attendance. My cousin and I are 20 and 21, and there were people well above and below our ages. I was quite happy to see so many kids in attendance. They reminded me of my younger self, with my bright orange Camp Half-Blood shirt and a book clutched in my hand.
When they finally let us in, we were given a pin and a special edition, signed copy of The Court of the Dead. My cousin and I decided to go separate ways. She stayed in line for merch while I beelined for the auditorium to get us some decent seats. Not to brag or anything, but I think we had one of the best views there. My cousin managed to snag us Percy Jackson cookbooks, which will be more useful to me now that I am living on my own at college and cooking for myself most nights.
Some of My Favorite Books From Over the Years
The event started with a video and then continued with a skit, setting the scene for the younger audience. The whole event was run like a court room. There was a judge with a gavel and everything. It was cute. Rick Riordan was wearing exactly what I always imagined him in—-a blue Hawaiian shirt. You can’t get more Percy Jackson than that.
Rick Riordan has written over 80 books in his lifetime. His most popular series is called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. This series, which was recommended to me by Mary Lynn, was my first introduction to the magic of Rick Riordan. The tale of Percy Jackson was originally a bedtime story for his son, who had dyslexia and ADHD. Both of those traits are important to demigods, as they keep them alive.
Rick Riordan continued to write books about Egyptian Mythology, Norse Mythology, and multiple spin off series involving the characters in the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Years ago, a movie was made, which the fanbase did not enjoy. It did not capture the Percy Jackson story that the books portrayed. Just last year, though, season one of the new Percy Jackson and the Olympians show was released, and it did so well that season two will be coming out this winter.
Mark Oshiro is a queer, latino author who Rick Riordan specifically wanted to collaborate with for this project. Rick said that he wanted to tell this story of a young, gay man, but wanted to have someone who actually lived the life writing it with him. Mark Oshiro, who referred to himself as “gay, Mexican Nico,” was perfect for the job.
Mark Oshiro shared that his first bit of writing was done when he was a kid, and it was a Goosebumps fanfiction called Stay Out of the Closet (he immediately told us we could laugh at that). He always wanted to write for a younger audience because he felt as though that age group was often forgotten in discussions about books. It is much better now, but it was often hard for me to get into books as a younger kid, especially in elementary school, because I felt as though they didn’t have a nice selection for me.
Why Authors Should Be More Like Rick Riordan
Mary Lynn actually introduced me to the world of Percy Jackson and Rick Riordan’s whole collection. She insisted that I give The Lightning Thief a try, and so I did. It changed the trajectory of my life. And that may sound dramatic, but it really did. Rick Riordan’s writing opened so many doors for me.
For the first time, I actually enjoyed reading. I would spend every waking hour of the day, and every minute of freetime, cracking open one of his books. I loved required reading time, and I often spent my recess parked on a bench flipping through the pages of his universe.
I joined a fandom for the first time. Not only did I join the fandom, but I most definitely participated in fangirling. My cousin and I rode the bus home together every single day, and if we weren’t sharing an earbud to “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” by Fall Out Boy, we were discussing every detail of what I was reading in Rick Riordan’s book.
Lastly, I began to be more comfortable being myself. Rick Riordan writes about so many characters from different backgrounds. This book in particular is a queer story. I think middle school is when kids begin to fully understand who they are and what they want to be. That was when I began to realize that I was queer. Having a wide range of representation showed me that I could be whoever I wanted to be, and that home is anywhere. Though this series (and I) weren’t out when I was a kid, is it now available for so many who may be asking the same question I was asking myself: who am I?
Mark Oshiro told us that when he would visit middle schools to talk about this book in particular, he would actually have kids come out to him. He and Rick Riordan have created such a safe space with this book. They have, and will continue to, alter so many lives by writing stories of queer youth who are happy and in a secure relationship where they feel safe and confident.
This event was sold out, and a majority of the people inside that room were kids. Whether they enjoy his writing, find it as an escape, or actually relate to it, each of them found something in Rick Riordan, and Mark Oshiro’s, writing that appealed to them. Finding a series that you enjoy is such a magical experience, and meeting the person who unlocked that magical experience is even better.
I started reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians in sixth grade. I was 12 years old. I have been a fan of Rick Riordan for almost 9 years. In that time I have gone through my own journey as a queer woman, and seeing him in person, excitedly talking about this book in a room full of people who were just as excited to hear about it, healed me in some way.
Though I know I am not his intended audience anymore, I feel incredibly nostalgic when I see his books or when he releases a new one. His joy for writing these stories and constantly making moves to appropriately represent minority groups is why he will always be one of my favorite authors. So, from my inner child: Thank you, Uncle Rick.