Topic of the Day: Author Interactions:
"Let’s talk interacting with authors IRL (in real life) or online. This is your opportunity to talk about your favorite author readings that you have attended. Or, you can feature your favorite author fan moment (i.e., an author sent you a tweet or commented on your blog). Maybe you even want to share how your interactions have changed since becoming a blogger or share your own tips that you have learned along the way when interacting with authors as a blogger."
I love meeting authors in real life even though I’m always terrified of making a fool of myself. I try to talk normally but I know I’ve said some pretty weird stuff. My most awkward moment was probably at a signing that included Gayle Forman, Rainbow Rowell, and Stephanie Perkins. It was a long line to see Perkins but I knew I had to get my books signed (because I've adored everything she's written) so when I get to the front the first thing I think I said was Hi and then I said, “Here have a tiny card.” (I was giving all the authors my tiny blog business cards.) My sister Tiny Reverse Vampire was there too (I call her the PR person for Bibliognome) and we couldn’t stop laughing about that after the event was over.
It’s always a thrill meeting authors in person because they really are like celebrities to me and I just can’t believe they’re really there. One of the best signings I’ve been to was with Andrea Cremer. Not a lot of people were at Cremer’s signing because it was at a weird time of day but me, my sister and like the 6 or 7 other people there got to ask all the questions we wanted and I got absolutely everything I brought signed.
It’s also extremely cool to live in the same hometown as Rainbow Rowell because as you can see from the picture here I’ve been to pretty much all of her signings. She's also a really fun author to see in person.
As for tips on interacting with authors I guess I would say just try to remain calm and be yourself. :)
I love that collage of author meetings.
ReplyDeleteAnd nothing beats the total fan babbling I did when I met Neil Gaiman ;-)
Thanks, I had fun making that all into one picture.
DeleteNice I'd probably be completely incoherent if I ever met Neil Gaiman. :)
That must be interesting to live in the same town as an author. I remember when I lived in the same area as the famed Kentucky poet, Wendall Berry. Everyone was like... Oh, you're an author. Do you know Wendall Berry? My Amish friends even knew of him. They told me he liked to sit next to a creek with a notepad and pen and just write all day. They even offered to show me his farm. I never took them up on that offer. Maybe I should have?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's pretty cool because I knew here from taking a newspaper writing class way back when.
DeleteYeah, I think it's always cool if you can visit literary places.
I'm an author, and let me tell you, we love our fans! Without them we cannot survive. It makes an author's day to have someone come up and talk to her! So don't be shy and say hi :-)
ReplyDeleteNice, always glad to hear that. Yeah I've never been disappointed when I did get the guts to actually talk to authors. :)
DeleteI'm sure authors have heard worse than your tiny card offer LOL. I've never met an author, but I've had the chance to talk to a few Italian music artists, and I don't think I've ever been particularly brilliant! Also because one always has so little time to make an impression (which will last only a handful of seconds anyway...).
ReplyDeleteI hope so, it was just rather awkward. :) True I always have to psych myself up and try not to be nervous.
DeleteOh man that Gayle Forman, Rainbow Rowell, and Stephanie Perkins event sounds amazing! One day I'd love to see that super panel! Contemp romance is my favorite genre, so I probably would've gotten all awkward too lol
ReplyDeleteHere's Armchair BEA: Author Interactions and More than Just Words!
Yes it was pretty amazing. At least I could laugh about my awkwardness later. :)
DeleteThanks for stopping by.
What great interactions! I would love to have an author that I enjoy who lived nearby. We travel some distance to any events that Team Flirting with Fiction goes to.
ReplyDeleteThanks it is pretty cool having a local author and it's fun at her signings because a ton of people show up because they know her from when she wrote for the Omaha World Herald. Yes it's always better not to travel too far because most these signings take place really close to when I get off work.
DeleteI am so jealous that you got to meet Stephanie Perkins! I adore her! I hope that some day I get to meet all the awesome authors too!
ReplyDeleteLisa @Just Another Rabid Reader
:) It was awesome and I really adore her and her books too. I'm sure you'll get to some cool author events someday (you never know where events will be.)
Delete