Tuesday 28 March 2017

Ten Authors I Have Met

Book signings and events are the best. I scan through the events page on the Waterstones website far more than the average person ought to, because book signings are just so fun. Not only do you get to meet authors you admire, but you also get to meet people with your shared love for reading, which I often find more memorable than the signing itself. This topic works perfectly for me this Top 10 Tuesday, because there are actually only 10 authors I have met. The images of the books below will be of the ones I got signed.




1. Barbara Mitchelhill
I got a signed copy of Storm Runners from a school author visit. I hadn't heard of Mitchelhill beforehand, but I do remeber enjoying this dark and twisted sci-fi thriller when I was younger.

2. Debra J. Edwards
Another school author visit. I got a copy of the first book in the Aggie Lichen series, and I ended up finding signed copies of the next 2 books in the trilogy at my local book store.



3. Chris Colfer (2013)
My first official book signing. We got to the Waterstones in Bluewater at an absurdly early time (my friends and I were hardcore fangirls) but were still around 100th in the queue. The signing wasn't even until much later and we didn't actually get our books signed until midday. Despite the long wait, it was absolutely worth it and I have such positive memories of that day.

4. Cassandra Clare (2013)
This signing was at the same Waterstones about a week after the Chris Colfer book signing, and was far less hectic. I didn't go with any friends this time, but I actually made some new ones that day and it was another great experience. I managed to get my very loved but battered copy of Clockwork Angel signed and Cassandra Clare was really lovely.



5. Grace Helbig (2015 & 2016)
This was also at the Waterstones in Bluewater (which is apparently the number one place to go for book signings) and my friends and I got there pretty early again. We spent our time in the queue making terrible puns and watching Camp Takota. Grace was as funny in real life as she is in her videos and we took a series of awesome selfies. I actually met Grace a second time almost exactly a year later for another book signing where we took more selfies and she complemented my tshirt which had rainbow pugs on it.

6. Joey Graceffa (2015)
My friends and I spent the day walking around London and getting Bubble Tea before the actual signing began in the middle of the day. I remember the queue time being significantly shorter for this signing which was good because it was so hot outside (which is super rare but quite appreciated). I got some excellent selfies and had an all around fun time.



7. Bonnie MacBird (2015)
Another school author visit! Bonnie was really lovely and I got to pick her brain before her talk about Sherlock Holmes adaptations for a project I was writing at the time. She was really insightful and had some excellent writing advice, which makes me feel worse for not having read her book yet (I feel so ashamed).

8. V.E. Schwab (2016)
I met Victoria at YALC and I basically all but cried. She's truely such an inspiration to me and I know I held up the queue a bit but I had so much to say. She complemented my name and I explained the origins which was awesome, plus I gave her a sticker I made which she said she was going to stick on her writing journal straight after (HER WRITING JOURNAL!!!) and I told her how much her growth as an author and experience in publishing has inspired me. Essentially it was awesome.



9+10. Rainbow Rowell & Leigh Bardugo (2016)
Rainbow and Leigh teaming up to do the Worlds Collide book tour is possibly one of the greatest things to ever happen. They were both so kind and they acted out scenes from their books and honestly the whole evening was glorious. I find both of these women so inspirational and I'm so sad I didn't get to talk for longer because I had a train to catch.


What authors have you met? Do you plan to go to any bookish events or signings this year?

14 comments:

  1. It sounds like you've had some great experiences with authors!
    Here is my TTT..

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  2. Rainbow Rowell is on my list too! It would be so wonderful to meet her.

    My Top Ten

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    1. She's actually the loveliest and incredibly funny too! I hope one day you do get to meet her

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  3. I met Victoria Schwab at YALC last year too, she was so lovely!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/top-ten-tuesday-100/

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    1. She really is! I hope she is able to find the time to come this year too.

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  4. I have meet V.E. Schwab. I did not take a picture with her because I did not have her book to have them signed, and back then I wasn't interested on her books.. hahaha Anyway you can see her in the picrtures I posted.

    My TTT.

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    1. It's cool that you met her! She's a super sweet and genuine person

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  5. Of YA authors only Dave Arnold (Mosquitoland) and Adi Alsaid (Let's Get Lost). They were sharing a table at Books by the Banks in Cincy. Rainbow Rowell's line was out of the building so, having not yet read her books, I passed. I met other authors there, but no one "famous."

    Lisa @ https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/top-ten-tuesday-the-authors-id-most-like-to-meet/

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    1. I haven't read either of those books but it's always cool to meet authors you like, even if they're not as well known as others.

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  6. You've met some wonderful authors!!!

    This week I choose to focus on the eleven authors I can't believe I've already met! Here's a link to my TTT post for this week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2017/03/top-ten-tuesday-ten-authors-i-cant.html

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  7. Those are some seriously awesome events you attended. I'd love to meet Chris Colfer and Rainbow Rowell!

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    1. Thanks! They were a lot of fun. Rainbow Rowell is a darling and too lovely for this earth, and Chris Colfer doesn't even look like he's real. 100% must be a higher being.

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