Thursday, May 27, 2010

My Book-ish Treasures!


In honor of Armchair BEA, I have decided to share some of my book-ish treasures with you!  What I am about to share with you are some of my most prized possessions, those items that I hold very close to my heart . . . . of course, right after my family!!  I have included a little story with each picture, so read on and enjoy!

Back in 2003, I attended my first ever author event and signing.  It was with James Patterson for his release of Jester that he co-wrote with Andrew Gross.  When my friend and I heard that he was going to be at a local indie, we could not pass up the opportunity!  We showed up early, got seats towards the front, and were poised to listen with interest.  It was a packed affair, but one completely worth it!  Patterson was surprisingly funny and a wonderful public speaker.  He got me hooked on author readings and signings from that day forward!

Later that year, I was lucky enough to get a part-time job working at the same indie bookstore!  And, I got in on the action of many author events!  One of my favorite was Gregory Maguire during his release of Mirror, Mirror.  I love, love, love his first adult novel, Wicked:  The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.  It was a fabulous event and I have to say, he is one of the kindest authors that I have ever met!  He was generally interested in every person he spoke with and was willing to sign a whole stack of books for me!

I wanted to include this book, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card because this was one of my surprise signings.  The author just happened to be in town for a community reading event and he agreed to stop by and sign some stock inventory.  I was lucky enough to be working the day he walked through the store doors and I helped bring him armful of books to sign, chatting briefly with him while he did so.  How could I not get a book after that?!?!  I actually read this book after meeting him, and still wonder to this day why I waited to long to crack that book!

Last, but not least, is probably my all-time favorite signing event with Khaled Hosseini!  Thankfully, I was blogging at the time I attended this one, so you can check out my thoughts and details of this reading (including a picture of the author signing) at A Conversation with Khaled Hosseini.

Other authors that I have been lucky to enjoy . . . Ivan Doig (interesting), Patrick McManus (hilarious), Pete Fromm (awesome), Elie Wiesel (inspiring!) . . . and a few that I've overheard just from working in the bookstore include Jan Brett, Chuck Palahniuk, Sherman Alexie.  I really wish that I had actually seen these ones instead of just heard!

Despite the many author events I have been to, I still cannot get enough time with them!!  I was recently looking at some events that will be offered in my area and I'm really, really hoping that I can go to many of them.  As I do, I will be posting them here at Tif Talks Books!

Who would be my dream authors to meet?  My faves that I wrote some fan mail to just the other day . . . J.K. Rowling and Stephen King . . . but, there are others I would also add to this list including Suzanne Collins, Shannon & Dean Hale, Janet Halfmann, Sandra Boyton, and so many more!!!  Maybe some day . . .

Who do you dream about meeting?

9 comments:

  1. I simply adore autographed books. I must organize them better.

    Great idea to photograph the autograph.

    I attended BEA in 2008 (in LA) and got a few books then. And I've also received a few from other authors as review copies.

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  2. You have met some AMAZING authors! Elie Wiesel? Khaled Hosseini! Wow!

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  3. I have to admit to being jealous of the signed Ender's Game.

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  4. That's very cool! I would love to meet Lisa Kleypas or Barbara Mertz, or LJ Smith.

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  5. Wow, you are lucky to have such treasures. I'd love to meet and have a book signed my Markus Zusak (The Book Thief).

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  6. Those are some serious treasures. I'm impressed.

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  7. What an amazing collection! So cool that you got to meet so many famous authors! So jealous you met Orson Scott Card! ;)

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  8. I would love to meet Gregory Maguire! Lucky girl. ;)

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  9. Creations by Laurel-Rain Snow . . . I don't organize mine very well! They are really spread out all over the place, but my really special ones get the top shelves!!

    Emily . . . I didn't actually meet Elie Wiesel . . . just listened to him speak! Both were absolutely amazing though!!

    carolsnotebook . . . Ender's Game does not get the attention it deserves in my opinion! Amazing!!

    heidenkind . . . Sadly, I have never heard of or read any of these authors! :(

    Kathleen . . . I just keep hearing amazing things about Zusak and The Book Thief! I really need to give in to the peer pressure on this one!

    Brimful Curiousities . . . Thank you!! :)

    Alexia561 . . . Working in a fairly large bookstore a while back really helped to add to my collection!!

    Kristen M. . . . He was amazing!! I would love to see him again someday!!

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