The Sword and Laser discussion

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to meet Ernest Cline and I was an almost-embarrassing level of excited. A friend of mine couldn't really understand why it made my day. (Granted, she reads mostly chick lit and Cosmo magazine, so she had no idea who he was.)

Now I'm curious - have you met any authors you admire? If you could have dinner/drinks with any author (living or dead) who would you choose?

Or are you in the camp that couldn't care less about meeting authors?

Oh, I've got a lot of authors ... Stephen King, chiefly.
But in terms of meeting authors, I briefly met Neil Gaiman and Joe Hill at a Neil & Friends event two years ago. And I briefly spoke with Stephen King when I was in high school and he was doing one of those call-in radio shows.

I've met Neil Gaiman and Poppy Z. Brite at talks/signings. I'm never brave enough to say anything, but it's wonderfully getting to hear your favorite authors talk about what makes them tick.

I haven't met any myself. I have met some webcomic artists/writers at Otakon however.

Right now my top 3 would be

1) Steven King
2) Jim Butcher
3) Brandon Sanderson

I'd likely be an awful fanboy and unable to talk like a normal person.

No never met any authors most of the authors I enjoy are American and i'm English and we don't have the Cons you do.

I was so gutted when my question didn't get read out for Robin Hobb, that's about as close as I have been to interacting with one of my favorite authors, hopefully my question might be read out with Patrick Rothfuss.

I have met Darren Shan as you can see from my picture, and also Joseph Delaney.

I really really want to meet Amber Benson though. Next time she comes anywhere within 100 miles... I'm gonna be there :D

Brian Lumley would also be very cool. I have a signed book, but I ordered that from the store, never got to see him in person.

I've met around 50 authors and at least been in the same room with several more. I might work on the list later.

I have met George R.R. Martin twice. I also met Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson twice on their tour for Winds of Dune. Tomorrow I am going to met Lois McMaster Bujold.

I could have met Jim Butcher three or four years ago, but I did not read him back then.

I got autographs from Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice, and Scott McCloud when I was in college.

I've been to a con where there was actors and I didn't think I would be as excited as I was. But Takei was there and its hard not to get star struck with him.

I think an author would be even more. Because they are somebody who I've been in their head, in a way. Not only that but most authors I like, like the same things I do, so we actually have something in common, not like an actor who could care less about the genre he/she plays in.

Brandon Sanderson answered me on Facebook and I've been claiming to have had a conversation with him since. So to me they are greater celebrities than almost anybody from Movies. Except Harrison Ford, Wil Wheaton, and Felicia Day.

Oh and Patrick Stewart.

Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, and John Scalzi. Would be my author meet list.

I got to meet, and talk with, Brandon Sanderson at a convention, he was very nice. If you go to World Con, George R.R. Martin is ridiculously easy to meet, as he wonders around like Mickey Mouse at Disneyland.

I've had books signed by Sanderson, A.C. Crispin, Tim Powers, Gordon Van Gelder (editor), and I have a comic signed by Michael Stackpole. I wouldn't say I've met all of them, just stood on line to get their autograph and say I liked their work.

Terry Pratchett I've met loads of times, and I've had a bunch of books signed by Peter F Hamilton. Haven't (knowingly) met anyone else.

I've met Brandon Sanderson twice at signings and will meet him for a 3rd time next weekend at yet another signing.

"Authors in Action
Presented By Allen County Public Library
Thu, 11/03/2005 Literary Event
7:30 PM
As part of the ongoing "Authors in Action" series, authors David Farland (Runelord series) and Brandon Sanderson (Elantris) will discuss their books on a visit to Allen County Public Library. Please join us on Thursday, November 3 at 7:30 pm in Room 317 of the Main Library."

It seems so long ago. I was invited to join some librarians in taking these two to dinner and helping them with the signing and Brandon talked about his Alcatraz books. I told him I wasn't a big fan of fantasy but I read Elantris before they arrived and liked it. I somehow managed to volunteer myself to be their guide to the restaurant and had a really nice time talking with them. I think they were more jazzed to be going to Pentacon the next day which took place across the street from the library. Dave told me that Brandon was going to be famous one day. He was right!

I really didn't read any more of Brandon's books until I spotted an advance reader copy of The Way of Kings It blew me away! It's been fun watching him grow into a hugely popular writer. I can't wait for the sequel. He signed my book: "Lorie- Thanks for reading a fantasy book and making an exception for me! I hope my books are always good enough to keep you up late reading!"

If it wasn't for that experience I may not have read any fantasy and would probably not be here.

I've met Jonathan Maberry at DragonCon several times. He's amazingly nice. And I unexpectedly met Dan Wells and freaked out. He was nice and still came to do a signing at my bookstore. Tana French was also awesome.

I once wrote a thank you letter to Philip Gulley and he invited me to lunch, but most of the time "meeting" just means they are signing a book I bought. In that very limited definition: Holly Black, Sue Monk Kidd, Marilynne Robinson, Karin Lowatchee, Naomi Novik, Tobias Buckell, Jeff Vandermeer, Ann Vandermeer, Nathan Ballingrud, and I'm sure I'm missing someone. I also was the librarian for one of Darin Bradley's classes, in fact I blame-thank him for getting me reading science fiction at all.

Larry Niven likes to show up at Gallifrey One to do signings, as do Marv Wolfman and Len Wein and I've met them in my job as the Autograph monkey (I make sure everyone is entertained and knows the rules before they go meet their heroes). I also once thought John de Lancie was a fan in a Sylvester McCoy Doctor cosplay because he was in the con suite just hanging out with us fans.

Last year I met Barbara Hambly who graciously explained that her Star Wars novel was not only designed to be a Star Wars novel in the first place but was supposed to set up an entire story line that was then ignored by the next author down the line. She was as upset at how that book turned out as I was.

I have had drinks with Paul Cornell, Tony Lee and Robert Shearman. I owe Rob a ticket to Epcot Center because he offered my wife and me the opportunity to walk the park with him and his friend, and we ended up hanging out with him for the whole day and ruined his alone time.

I also sat quietly once at the foot of George R.R. Martin and tried not to vibrate outta my chair in the lobby during ConQuest (the local Kansas City SF convention). My wife was on a panel with him at that same con. She also met Tamora Pierce who read her chapbook and said nice things. (Speaking of which, I was such a big fan of my wife's fanfic that I married her, and then she got published so I guess Tammy Garrison counts too.

My friend Tara calls Mr. Gaiman her "uncle Neil" and when drunk will tell wonderful stories about his daughter.

Sorry, I tend to ramble a bit.

Guess I'm in the minority here - being an author and editor, I attend at least one convention a year, sometimes two. I've met a LOT of name authors. Most of them are wonderful people, really down to earth. There is at least one pompous exception whom I will not name. By and large, they're just regular people, you know . . . until they put pen to paper! :)

I am particularly fond of Jeffrey Ford, Brian Evenson, Tim Lebbon (with whom I had a mutual "experience" long before he or I were authors - this was made manifest by his wearing of a Motorhead T-shirt, which occasioned a conversation, memories were shared, etc), and Lucius Shepard. I've spent a little time with each over dinner, etc. My only real starstruck moments have been with Jonathan Carroll and he-who-shall-not-be-named. Oh, and Patrick Rothfuss is pretty hilarious in person. Never had the chance to really hang out with him, but I've seen him on panels where he had the place in stitches.

I know I've missed a plethora of names of authors whom I've had the pleasure of meeting, chatting with over dinner, working together on panels, blah, blah, blah. Like I've said, they're just regular people, for the most part, until they start writing. :)

I've had the incredible good fortune to meet Guy Gavriel Kay, Neil Gaiman, And Diana Gabaldon. Each event was an incredible privilege!

Sadly, we were supposed to get Cherie Priest, but she was forced to cancel. Getting her signature on one of my fave novellas, Those Who Went Remain There Still, would have been epic!

Sadly, I'm in a smaller Canadian city that may not come up on the tour calendar for my favorite authors. Therefore, I'm looking into going to some of the bigger cons. Authors are my rock stars, and it would be a huge check on my bucket list to meet each and every one of them!

Heading over to meet Pat Rothfuss right now.

Worth of note...

http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...

I've met quite a few authors, both on my own initiative and professionally (I'm a librarian). The more well-known ones include Guy Gavriel Kay, Gordon Korman, Cherie Priest, Robert J. Sawyer, John Scalzi, Kevin J. Anderson, Cory Doctorow, and Jo Walton. I'm lucky to live about an hour from Toronto, where we still have a decent literary SF&F con and a few other cons that appreciate literary guests, a notable SF&F special collection at the public library that brings in a lot of guests, and an annual literary street festival.

Our local (Baton Rouge) writers' group has a readers' luncheon every fall. This year we had 24 authors, including Diana Rowland and Heather Graham. My daughter got pretty fan girlish over Diana, and she (Diana) has next year's luncheon on her calendar. It's 16 Nov 2013, and if you're in the area, you should certainly come by!

I'm not sure if I'd want to meet authors in person or not. I've talked to several by email and social media (as I'm sure everyone else has)... but in person, my introvert tendencies would shine and I'd be all "I like your work..." and then I'd leave. I don't know, I guess that's enough. Walk up, shake their hand, let them know I appreciate their work, and leave.

I don't really have a star-struck thing when it comes to authors (or actors, etc). They do what they do, I do what I do. I'm a fan of their work is enough for me. (Okay, Except maybe Joss Whedon, I (a man through and through) would probably fan-girl like crazy if I got to meet him.

There are a couple of lesser-known authors that live relatively close to me that I might make a trip to see, just to show my support for them more than anything. The big names? probably not.

I forgot that I accidentally met Jane Yolen about five years ago.

My most recent author meeting was when I took a workshop with Robert J. Sawyer a few weeks back and got him to sign a copy of his book Illegal Alien to me. It was a fantastic experience that immediately changed my writing and how I think of it for the better.

I live reasonably close to Toronto as well and in years past have been to the Word on the Street festival, so I've met a few other authors, notably Dave Duncan. It's something I love doing and need to do a lot more.

At academic conferences, I've encountered any number of authors, poets, and critics, but it's in a professional venue, different from finding oneself, truly star-struck, waiting in line at the autograph table. Amongst the latter, William Gibson stands out as the most 'regular joe' of guys. He seemed truly surprised that people were all there just to see him. And I had the privilege of speaking very briefly with the infinitely gentle Ray Bradbury.

On the wish-list side, I'd love to sit down and swap memories with Ernie Cline to see if there's even one experience we don't share. I want to button-hole Neil Gaiman and ask him what that hell he thinks he's up to. I would love to sincerely thank Terry Pratchett. And I still owe Wil Wheaton an apology.

Lucy wrote: "No never met any authors most of the authors I enjoy are American and i'm English and we don't have the Cons you do.

I was so gutted when my question didn't get read out for Robin Hobb, that's abo..."

Well Robin Hobb is going to be one of the the guests of honour at worldcon in London 2014, so maybe you can ask her then :)

I've met Terry Pratchett at three signings so far. He's completely lovely but it was slightly heart breaking to see him the last time, which was over the summer. He still seemed to be in a great mood, signing books even though the organizers of his talk had explicitly said he wasn't going to (he had to borrow my pen at one point, lord do I treasure that pen), but his illness really seemed to have done a number on him.

Neil Gaiman personalized my copy of The Graveyard Book with a little headstone that says 'Kate', which was awesome. He also briefly stood next to me at one of his wife's gigs (I think he was lost looking for how to get backstage) and smiled at me when I said 'Hello' in a nervous high-pitched voice.


The other authors I've met at conventions, they've mostly been lovely, though I do tend to steer clear of anyone who looks like they won't be.
Lavie Tidhar bummed a smoke off me at Eastercon this year and I got to tell him how much I liked Osama.
I did the guest of honour interview with Liz Williams at a Octocon in October, and also had dinner and drinks etc with her she was very cool and down to earth and candid about what it's like for a mid-list author in this economy. Though I am slightly dreading the point when the video of the interview is ready to go live.
I met Ian McDonald over dinner at Titancon in September (he was at the table next to us), I haven't actually gotten round to reading any of his books but he was very funny and lovely and so I should do that soon.

I got incredibly star stuck meeting Cory Doctorow and had to sit somewhere quiet and calm down afterwards. He's going to be at a con in Dublin next year, so I'm praying that that does not happen again.

Wow, this is long.
tl;dr go to conventions. meet authors. squee.

The first author that I met was in 2000, when I met Brian Jacques at my local bookstore. His Redwall series was the reason that I picked up fantasy.

Garry Kasparov signed my name wrong.

Just got home from a Brandon Sanderson book signing where I got three books signed (the store limited it to 3 per person). It was supposed to only be from 2-4 pm but the line was so long that even though I got in line at 2 I didn't make it to him until nearly 5 pm. Brandon was very gracious and said he was staying until the line was done and when I left there were still people at least an hour away based on how long it took me to get through.

I've worked at many books stores and now as an elementary school librarian go to a yearly event with authors and illustrators, so have met a ton of them. Got to have dinner with Johanna Cole, Larry Yep and others at one of these. Also a fair number of random celebrities in the book stores. Got to shake Ray Bradbury's hand once. Met and talked with Dan Simmons more than once. Had a funny (for me) meeting with Henry Rollins. Strange guy. I think he was trying to intimidate me but since it didn't work he calmed down.

David Sedaris was fun. Tom Wolf is a gentleman I spent many hours with. We (my book club) got Christopher Moore to hang out with us for an hour or so at our book club meeting once which was about as cool as you can imagine. But the one I think you guys would be most interested in (after Bradbury of course) is my day with Harlan Ellison. I was in college and this would be around 1990. He was coming to visit the film school across the way in FL. Mystery writer Stuart Kaminsky was hosting him to meet with his scriptwriting classes, then to do an evening event at their theater.

I called a number of people and told them I was working on a thesis which included Ellison (which ended up being true) and could I horn in a time to interview him. They contacted me later with his phone number and a time to call him! I would go into the nervousness I felt about this (I don't like using the phone much as it is, he's incredibly intimidating--much more than Henry Rollins, ha!--etc. so I'm sure you can imagine).

He was hilarious on the phone. I was under the impression I could join him and Kaminsky at their lunch between classes and he said, "No, no, who told you that? I'll kill that bitch!" He was laughing. So no lunch, but had him on the phone for 10-15 minutes and he told me there would be a ten minute window after one class and before they left for lunch and where to meet.

A few days later, after the class left I went in and there he was with his wife off in the corner and him at the conference big table sitting next to Kaminsky. We had like 30-40 minutes before someone came to get them for lunch and it was fantastic! I tried asking a few "serious interview" questions but mostly the three of us just riffed on short stories vs. novels vs. screenplays; Twilight Zones; comics; movies; he told me he thought I looked kinda like Peter Weller; funny mystery story tropes; and he kept asking if my professors were going to his talk.

That evening I went with a friend, my folks and one of my professors. The professor was not impressed and said this was nothing but a comedy routine. Ellison kept needling him and telling everyone in the audience that he was going to get him to laugh. Much later on he did by telling some joke about Middlemarch that apparently only my professor got and laughed out loud. But he left shaking his head. Then my friend and I did the fan boy thing and got Ellison to sign a whole pile of stuff while he told us more stories. We asked the theater people for a copy of the recording but despite many promises I never got it. Great day, though. I was nervous as hell though because I know if he doesn't like you or thinks you're an idiot he'll rip you a new one, but I lucked out and he seemed to take to me all right and seemed to have fun during the times I was with him.

Many many years ago I ran around with some friends who occasionally went to local conventions, so one year a friend offered to pay my way and I went too. It was long enough ago I don't exactly remember the details, but at one point Robert Asprin & Lynn Abbey were near enough that I could talk to them. At the time I was a film student and had thought that Lynn Abbey's book The Guardians would have made an awesome movie and I told her so.

Robert Lynn Asprin then asked my friend and I if we wanted to join him and Lynn for a drink. I jumped at the chance and we went into the hotel bar.

Once there, I was suddenly incredibly embarrassed because I was so poor I couldn't even afford to buy a drink when Robert asked me what I wanted. I was going to pass, but he cajoled me into accepting one from him and we four spent a couple of hours together mostly listening to Robert tell wonderful stories. I had been a fan not only of Lynn's book but many of Robert's books as well and it was an incredible experience that I've never forgotten.

They both were incredibly kind to a very naive young woman and I was saddened later by Robert's troubles and his death.

I think I'd probably fall over and then babble incoherently in an over-abundence of squeefulness if I ever got the chance to meet Gene Wolfe. But judging from interviews, he's also one of the nicest men in the world, so he probably wouldn't mind. (The nicest man in the world is, of course, Neal Gaiman)

I've met a handful of authors, some well known, some not so much outside of the realm of scholarship, some more blue-collar author where they have the writing as a second job or at least just have a second job. Met a few more if you're willing to include game developers as authors as well.

So far, the list (with game developers included) includes Tim Sheard (mystery), Jeffrey Wilson (horror), Jane McGonigal (games researcher and game developer), Eugene Jarvis (game developer), Andrew Looney (game developer), Alicia Erian (author and screenwriter), Ursula Bielski (writes about Chicago area ghost lore), Ryan Poll (literary and cultural scholar), Christopher Schroeder (literacy scholar), Brad Greenburg (does some fiction - typically historical - but mostly does literary scholarship), and Olivia Cronk (poet) to name a few.

The only author I've ever met is my junior high school English teacher, William Durbin.

Some authors I would love to meet and chat with are:

R. Scott Bakker
Steven Erikson
Leslie Marmon Silko
Mark Z. Danielewski
Warren Ellis
Grant Morrison
Matthieu Ricard

But the one I think you guys would be most interested in (after Bradbury of course) is my day with Harlan Ellison.

I've met a few authors, and collected a few interesting tales, but one of the more memorable encounters took place with Harlan Ellison.

I'd long been a fan of his work. Back then (this was maybe thirty years ago) Harlan would do book store apperances and would write a story on site. My girlfriend at the time and I went to see him.

I managed to squeeze my way up to the front of quite the large crowd. When it became obvious that he was attracting major attention, Harlan decided to take a break from his story and announced he would hang out in the rear of the store for a while and chat with everyone.

Now, I'm a bit over average height, 6'4" or so. Harlan's somewhat shorter than that, and various folks in sf (Isaac Asimov, among others) have on occasion teased him about his height. I stepped back to give the man room to clamber down from his perch. He landed right in front of me, then looked up, mouth slightly agape.

Then his face curdled into a look of supreme disgust, and he walked away, shaking his head. :)

Hoisted a few beers with Charlie Stross. He is a genuinely interesting and quite nice person.

Walter wrote: "But the one I think you guys would be most interested in (after Bradbury of course) is my day with Harlan Ellison.

I've met a few authors, and collected a few interesting tales, but one of the mor..."

Lol Harlan is quite a character. I find his dry sarcastic humour quite amusing.

Just because he's a totally cool guy, I would love to hang with Neal Stephenson. I can't wait for his kickstarter project to see the light of day. On the same vein I definitely would love to chew the fat with William Gibson. He reminds me a lot of my uncle who is in the publishing business. Just a font of information and interesting stories.
Patrick Rothfuss because his beard is more epic than my stache, and no doubt he would be down for a game of D&D!!!