Top Ten Authors I’ve Met

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is: Top Ten Authors I’ve Met. I used to go to a lot of author events when I read YA, but there aren’t as many opportunities for adult fiction authors (at least where I live). It was hard limiting my list to just ten, as I’ve been lucky enough to meet quite a few amazing authors, but these ones have been the most memorable!

Marissa Meyer
She came to my local library in 2012 as part of the Fierce Reads tour when Cinder came out, and I was so excited to meet her! I love the Lunar Chronicles.

Leigh Bardugo
She was also part of the Fierce Reads tour for Shadow and Bone. I literally bought the book only because it was one of my first author events and I was excited to meet authors and get some signed books. I had no idea how much I would love the Grishaverse. I met her again at an ALA annual conference and she complimented my long eyelashes and slipped me some Grisha nail polish under the table that she wasn’t supposed to give me. lol.

Sarah J. Maas
I met her at my very first ALA annual conference in Anaheim! She was there to promote Throne of Glass. I’d never heard of the book before, but it looked really good so I had her sign my ARC. Again, I had NO idea how much I would love the worlds she’s created since.

Marc Brown
I met him at ALA in 2014! If you don’t recognize his name, he’s the author and illustrator of the Arthur children’s book series! I have always adored Arthur, even as an adult. The books and show were a huge part of my childhood and it was surreal meeting him. It was a surprise to see him there, and I wish I’d known ahead of time so I could have brought some of my Arthur books for him to sign. I did get a lovely hardback copy of his new (at the time) book titled In New York, though.

Markus Zusak
Another ALA author surprise! His flight was super delayed and they worried he would not make it in time, but he got there and stayed way longer than he’d planned to make sure everyone could get their books signed. He signed a complimentary copy of The Book Thief for me, which I later read (and loved) as part of my YA lit class in grad school. He was so, so nice.

Susan Wiggs
She was the keynote speaker for the Utah Readers Luncheon in 2018 and it was really fun meeting her! She signed my copy of The Charm School.  When I handed it to her she gave it a wistful smile and told me it had quite the cult following among teens when it came out in 1999. It’s still my favorite book of hers.

Susan Mallery
She was the keynote speaker for the 2019 Utah Readers Luncheon and I got quite a few of her Fools Gold books signed.

Mo Willems
The author of the Pigeon books! I met him at ALA (I can’t remember which one) and I was so excited. He’s so nice!

Mary E. Pearson
Mary made me feel like a celebrity. I was standing in her signing line at ALA and when she looked up and saw my name and my blog’s name on my badge, she screamed “Jana!!!!” and jumped out of her seat and ran around the table to hug me. Everyone looked at me like “who the heck is she??” I’d fangirled hard over The Kiss of Deception and interviewed her on my blog, and she remembered me!

Anna Banks
I also met her at my library for the 2012 Fierce Reads tour. I was a newish blogger and had been requesting ARCs from so many publishers and getting declined for all of them. Of Poseidon was the very first ARC I was actually sent as the result of an emailed request. Up to that point, I was just reviewing what I bought and what I could “read now” on Netgalley. Macmillan took a chance on me with Of Poseidon and I have been receiving their books for review ever since! I can’t believe it’s been 14 years now. Anyway, Anna signed that ARC and drew a little shark in it.

Do you like going to author events and book signings?
Which authors have you met?