I've only ever met one author before & I was too little to really remember it. I was dragged along with my brother... It might be a once in a lifetime opportunity, they said! FLY didn't exist then but tiny local libraries did. Now, this is a whole different kettle of fish, where have the libraries gone?
Well, I felt like I was walking into a library just waiting in the foyer before heading to the lecture theatre where I sent this tweet before promptly turning off my phone & opening 'Flip' to follow along as Martyn Bedford's event was up first!
He was welcomed and I rolled my eyes at the bits about awards and smiled when we were told about Flip knowing that yes, some people that had come didn't know much about it & may never look an author in the eyes again. Do I want to be, or am I, one of those? Well... what happened next answers that but I don't want to move on yet.
I don't know what I expected but I think it went better than I'd hoped. I had my Flip edition out as he read an extract from the first chapter... It was similar to what he read but I know he missed bits, or maybe they weren't in his books... I didn't ask as that's just a tiny bit awkward! Flip is the YA debut of Bedford but there's another set to be released soon! Anyway, as I said I've only met one author before. So guess how many books I actually have signed?
Well, from that meeting none (they are my brother's books). But I have two signed books, What's Up With Jody Barton? Is it personalized? No, how could it?
So Flip, I was first in the queue for the signings believe it or not, was my first but not my last that day (I do have one personalized signed book previous to this but I also got it very recently so I feel a bit like a fail):
It says my name. I couldn't get over the fact that:
a) I'd walked up & we'd had a nice conversation while waiting for others to queue- most had to buy books, I had one ready- and it was a total afterthought to say that my name was Amy. When I realized he had his pen poised I was like, "Amy." We had a discussion about how people might even spell 'Amy' wrong (or differently, if you prefer) & it's the same with his name.
b) His next door neighbour comes from round here & guess who knew my school? Umm, yeah... My school is bloody famous (yikes!), even though it's definitely not the best!
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| An awesome signed book! Thanks C <3 It's so awesome I only realized now it was the previous day's date... I couldn't care less, frankly. |
I think I'll write a separate post on this because teasing you lot is an opportunity too good to miss, HA HA. For now I'll just say this, she is even awesomer than she appeared on Twitter. Meeting authors in real life? WIN.
You can see from this post the things that might happen when you meet authors, either in a signing queue in an auditorium with over a hundred people, or privately when get to grill them (please don't literally, how will they write books?) I got a bookmark too but that's nothing groundbreaking... Unlike the posters in the loos specifically put up for this festival:
Tell me they're NOT awesome. Well, I'd rather you say little posters designed for toilet doors aren't than any of the rest! Do you like it? Wish you'd been there (I do, but do you, imagine what would've happened if I'd met you or if this was the UK BEA, it looked a bit like it with all those books *sigh* if only they were free)? Are you interested in seeing what Chelsey said in our epic talk (another teaser: we discussed having cold feet, now that's not something you hear every day... but see why I was comfortable! I was just being a crazy fan, or all-round crazy person/blogger/reader/oddball)?
So, yeah... I could talk all day about this but let's just say this: I'LL GO AGAIN! So, maybe next year now you know about it? Yabbering on all day wouldn't be a fab blog post but umm... maybe you'll think this was OK! YAY OR NAY (that seems to work)? :D
4 comments:
It sounds like you had an awesome time, Amy! Thanks for sharing with us!
Wow, you're so lucky! You obviously had a great time! Trust me, my mum is the most embarrassing ever, I just...asdfghjkl. -_- Anyway, I wish I was there too! Would hav head a great time with you and I would have like to meet those two authors! Great post, Amy! Thanks for sharing with us! :D
@Jack: Your parents know you blog too, don’t they? Ha, watch out! Your Mum might decide to share it with the world, or maybe book you an author event where you interview an author ;) As you know that post is coming! It was fun & my Mum thinks so too- she didn’t think she could come :P TBF I’d probably have preferred to have another blogger there ;) I was the only one there with a parent & not their school! Yeah, it should’ve been B(rit & that)EA XD If it was you’d have been jel, no? But if it was it’s likely I would have got you to come- don’t let things like sea separate you from England’s possible future bookish goodness. I’m glad I got to share it with you all, thanks for stopping by, glad you liked it!
@Lucy: Awesome. Hmm... that works :D I’m just like, ‘BEST. DAY. EVER’. Can I repeat it please? ;) My job is to share (I’m not actually joking, my Mum keeps referring to blogging as my job. She’s like, ‘When you break up it’ll be easier to do your job. You have your job in the library but for less hours than school and it will be for less than blogging’.) such book-related things with you. Thanks for commenting, what are you reading?
This sounds like an awesome event! Glad you had a fab time! I can't say I'm great at the in-the-signing-queue-conversation either. Once a mother was introducing me to her son during a Patrick Ness signing.
I've been really lucky to have met quite a few authors - and have possibly embarrassed myself in front of them all. But, I realised the same thing as you, they're people. Extraordinarily talented people - but people all the same.
Ooooh, I have a dad like that! I just bury my head in my hands and moan.
Love the design & layout by the way!
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