I was talking with a friend about how when I first started on the reader/fan convention circuit, I created my own little black book filled with pages of authors and images of their books. I stood on line with all the other fans and gathered my autographs. I was in heaven.
The following year, again I had my black book and stood online, but this time, not as many as the authors that I was standing in
line for had become my friends and you really don’t ask your friends for their autograph. However, I wasn’t done because I got one autograph that I had to be gently coaxed into getting and that one made my day. My friend can tell this story better than I at my reaction.
The third year, I left my black book home because, once again, more and more authors have become my friends. The only time I stood in line for an autograph was when I had a book to be signed or it was an author that I longed to meet.
Now in my fifth year of attending this conference, I did stand on the line to say “hi” and get a picture with my friends. However, the coolest part was that someone came up to me and asked me to sign a page in their copy of the Malice Domestic's First 25 Years book. How cool was that?
So as I attend my next reader/fan convention, will I or will I not stand online for an autograph.
When was the last time you stood on a line for an autograph?
When I was about 6 and stood in line after a concert on the Esplanade in Boston to get the autograph of Arthur Fiedler...I wish it hadn't gotten lost somewhere over the years.
ReplyDeleteHi, Dru Ann. The last time I lined up for an author autograph was the last time I saw you...at the marvelous ThrillerFest a few weeks back in NYC. Oh no...it was in Houston ten days after....when the great Daniel Silva was here for his newest Gabriel Allon spy novel, The Heist.
ReplyDeleteI get the distinction between authors who become friends and those who are so HUGE that it seems (at least to me) the right thing to do is to stand in line and wait for them. I did that at ThrillerFest for the shy Anne Rice. I cannot ever imagine becoming her friend. I don't actually read her books--not a fan of vampires--but there was a nice collection of hers that I had her sign. It was THRILLING indeed. ... as was meeting YOU, Dru!
Hi Dru Ann!
ReplyDeleteLast week. I was on my way to a meeting with my publicist and I ran across Maggie Sefton signing at RWA. I stopped and met her, getting the latest book and her signature in the process. Of course this made me late for my appointment, but she forgave me when I told her I was fangirling.