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On June 5, 2006 Molly and I headed down to Columbus to see Charles de Lint at the Barnes & Nobles The Ohio State University Bookstore. Charles de Lint is one of my most favorite authors, so it was a great treat to meet him!
Molly and I got downtown early, so we could treat ourselves to dinner in the Short North. We had yummy gyro platters at The Happy Greek.
When we got to the bookstore, we asked directions to the reading and were pointed upstairs. When we got upstairs, someone else was pointing us to the area where the reading would be held. We turned around and Mr. de Lint had come up the escalator right behind us. I turned fan girl then, but it was so cool to see him in person. We let the store employees set him up, as we went to find a seat. The area chosen for the reading was a corner with floor to ceiling window, which were letting in the full late afternoon-early evening sun and heat. The 40-50 (?) people who came to see Mr. de Lint, endured the sun.
Mr. de Lint was very casual and friendly. He took a picture of all of us with his digital camera to send to his wife MaryAnn, who'd been unable to come on this tour. He asked if we wanted him to read something or just do Q&A. We asked him to read, so he read a bit from his newest book Widdershins. Then he answered many questions -- it was great insight into his work and writing process. I was excited to be familiar with most of the authors and musical artists he mentioned, since I've been on his email list and hooked into various online communities.
After the questions, he signed books for people. I brought my copy of Widdershins, as well as a couple chapbooks and my second, and favorite (so far, because I haven't read them all), de Lint book, Someplace to Be Flying. He signed them all with his wonderful, squashed bug signature, and was amenable to let us get a picture or two with him.
All and all, it was a fabulous experience! Mr. de Lint suggested to the coordinator at the bookstore that they should try to get Neil Gaiman to come sign at the store! I can't wait for that :) We topped off the evening with ice cream at Cold Stone Creramery. I've even gotten Molly to start reading Charles de Lint's books -- she started on some of the chapbooks!
Have you ever met a favorite author or other person you admire? What was your experience?
Molly and I got downtown early, so we could treat ourselves to dinner in the Short North. We had yummy gyro platters at The Happy Greek.
When we got to the bookstore, we asked directions to the reading and were pointed upstairs. When we got upstairs, someone else was pointing us to the area where the reading would be held. We turned around and Mr. de Lint had come up the escalator right behind us. I turned fan girl then, but it was so cool to see him in person. We let the store employees set him up, as we went to find a seat. The area chosen for the reading was a corner with floor to ceiling window, which were letting in the full late afternoon-early evening sun and heat. The 40-50 (?) people who came to see Mr. de Lint, endured the sun.
Mr. de Lint was very casual and friendly. He took a picture of all of us with his digital camera to send to his wife MaryAnn, who'd been unable to come on this tour. He asked if we wanted him to read something or just do Q&A. We asked him to read, so he read a bit from his newest book Widdershins. Then he answered many questions -- it was great insight into his work and writing process. I was excited to be familiar with most of the authors and musical artists he mentioned, since I've been on his email list and hooked into various online communities.
After the questions, he signed books for people. I brought my copy of Widdershins, as well as a couple chapbooks and my second, and favorite (so far, because I haven't read them all), de Lint book, Someplace to Be Flying. He signed them all with his wonderful, squashed bug signature, and was amenable to let us get a picture or two with him.
All and all, it was a fabulous experience! Mr. de Lint suggested to the coordinator at the bookstore that they should try to get Neil Gaiman to come sign at the store! I can't wait for that :) We topped off the evening with ice cream at Cold Stone Creramery. I've even gotten Molly to start reading Charles de Lint's books -- she started on some of the chapbooks!
Have you ever met a favorite author or other person you admire? What was your experience?
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I've had the very good fortune to meet Charles twice now, MaryAnn once. They are both wonderful people, and I had the most wonderful time with them.
I've also had the good fortune to meet:
Brian Froud--He was delightful, and the signing felt fairly 'personal', as there wasn't a huge crowd there, and he seemed to take his time, he wasn't in a big rush.
Diana Gabaldon--At a booksigning with a ton of people. She was very nice but you didn't really get to spend very much time with her because there were so many people there.
Sarah Bird--Lots of people there, yet the gathering felt intimate and friendly, and she spent a pretty good amount of time with each person who approached her to sign their book. She was super friendly and fun.
Charles Vess--He was really nice and friendly.
I also met George R.R. Martin twice, but I haven't read any of his books yet. ::grin:: His was one of the larger crowd signings, so the interaction with him was less personal. My friend Erin, who I went with and who was the one who really wanted to go, told me that I had to wait till he finished the series he's writing now, otherwise I'd be doomed to misery as she is, anxiously awaiting the next one.
I waited on Robert Redford once, long ago; he's one actor I do really admire. I gave him and his party bread and filled their water glasses, carried away plates, brought coffee. He seemed shorter and more lined than he seems up on the big screen, but his lovely voice is just the same in person. And he seemed nice, not like a diva. :-)
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