What was your favorite experience meeting an author?

[deborahjross]

Nathan Bransford asked this question. It made me smile, because I have a bunch of answers and they are all wonderful, inspiring moments. Here are a couple.

Very early in my writing career, Poul Anderson was Guest of Honor at a convention I attended. At the "meet the guests" reception, I spied him standing alone. I guess everyone else was too awed by him to say hello. I went up and said hello and how much I admired his work. We began chatting, and when he learned I was a writer -- I think I'd sold maybe 2 or 3 short stories then -- he looked at me and with absolute sincerity asked what I was working on now. I was a fellow writer, a colleague, or at least he thought I was. That moment of encouragement carried me through many rejections and discouraging times. I do my best to pass it on.

Meeting Octavia Butler for the second or third time and the two of us laughing that she remembered me but not my name. I came away with the understanding that I don't have to "be known by name" or to toot my own horn in order to have meaningful conversations. Just being present and listening carefully is a gift to the other person. I remind myself that my writing stands on its own

At World Fantasy a few years ago, standing out in the garden area for an evening reception and realizing, "I'm talking shop with Peter S. Beagle..." At that same convention, I had a lovely exchange with Charlaine Harris, in which I told her how I loved her Aurora Teagarden mysteries.A librarian detective plus layers of depth woven into a rocking good story. She replied, "That means a lot to me, coming from another writer."

I can go a long way on that.

What are your favorite memories?

Comments

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I'm been very lucky to have not only met, but have had dinner, with many writers, due to the SF in SF reading series. One of my favorite moments, though, was years ago at the WFC in Corpus Christi. Dinner time on Friday arrived, and I ran into Nina Kiriki Hoffman at the foot of the stairs. She was gathering people together for dinner, and I found out later that no one else at the dinner knew anyone else (though I had met Nina a few times before). I had dinner with Nina, Sharyn November, Charles de Lint and his wife Maryann, and Charles Vess. We ate at one of the seafood places right there in the harbor, and Charles Vess enhanced one of the restaurant's paper place mats, which were aimed at children with a cartoonish undersea. Charles Vess added Namor the Sub-Mariner. I told the group about a story idea I'd had, and Maryann gave me a wonderful title. I'm still grateful to Nina for grabbing me up that night. It was wonderful.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Nina is such a lovely person, as well as an amazing writer.

I love it when groups of writers coalesce in amazing ways -- and I get to be part of it.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

How lovely that you got to meet Anderson. I love his books.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

He was such a kind, modest man with an amazing range of stories. Everything from historical fantasy to space opera, all done with thoughtfulness and buckling those swashes.

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

I only met him once -- was on a panel with him -- and he was absolutely all of this: kind, modest, respectful. He listened. I was so impressed.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Yes, all of that. I like to think there are little gems of encouragement that he scattered among us, still glowing brightly.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

By far and away my favorite experience was meeting with Lloyd Alexander, twice. I had corresponded with him since I was in fourth grade, and in my first year of college I asked if I could meet him, and he said yes. Then, about 15 years later, I visited him again, this time with my family in tow. I'll always treasure those memories.

That's a wonderful story about Poul Anderson's encouragement. He was generous and knew, as only a writer can, how much it means to be given a chance to talk about that wonderful story that's bubbling up in the back of one's mind.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

How wonderful that you -- and your family -- got to meet Lloyd Alexander. My kids grew up on the Prydain books.