Billed as a book signing and discussion, Amber stood next to the podium and answered questions. They asked about everything from her acting-now-writing career to how she broke her foot. The saga of the broken foot involved trying to move a large fountain pot in the garden, having it roll over on her foot and breaking 3 metatarsals "like twigs snapping." It was, however, capped off by being rescued by a cute fireman. When asked whether she preferred writing or acting, she answered, with refreshing frankness, "I love both, but whatever pays the bills."
Death’s Daughter is the first of a 3 novel trifecta – the Calliope Reaper-Jones novels – which began with Hell, moves on to Purgatory and then to Heaven in "my homage to Dante" says Amber. But, it was fun, she emphasized, not lofty literature or epic trilogy. It has a Valley-girl corporate-takeover shopping-spree style with a touch of Buffy-esque irony. When asked abut her literary influences, Amber mentioned Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, the "real world" feel of major and minor deities, and hilariously apocalyptic Good Omens. There is even a cute puppy hellhound on the cover. But, no, she said, she hadn’t known about Susan, Death’s granddaughter, of Terry Prattchet’s Discworld books before writing Death’s Daughter.
Amber admits that writing came naturally out of long waits on the Private Practice set. Hours of waiting, in full makeup in her trailer led to obsessive writing, even through lunch. Her own recent film project, Drones, which she directed, is a cubicle-land comedy with another Joss Whedon alumnus, Jonathan Woodward. Look out for it on the film festival circuit.
After the Q&A came the signing of the books and people stood patiently in line while Amber chatted with each one and wielded a purple Sharpie on copies of Death’s Daughter, as well as photos and action figures and some of her other books written in collaboration with Christopher Golden. Fans came from as far away as France and Holland and Amber posed for pictures with any who had a camera or cell phone to point and shoot.
For those on the far side of the "Orange Curtain", not to worry. Amber will be in Burbank signing more books at Dark Delicacies, Saturday, March 21st at 2pm. Visit Dark Delicacies’ site for more information. For those even further north, Amber has signing dates in Northern California, too. Thursday, March 26th at 7pm at Borders in Union Square, San Francisco, CA; Saturday, March 28th at 4pm at Borderland Books in San Francisco, CA and Sunday, March 29th at 10:30am at Border’s Books in Roseville, CA.
