First time for everything

I met my first real life published author last night. This author happens to be one of my favorite bloggers so you can imagine my nerves.

I’ve never done well on first dates. I get nervous, I get antsy, I worry that I’m being too annoying, too talkative, too antsy, too shy…you name it.

So at 5:30, I briefly contemplated just going home because really? The metro to a bus to god only knows where only to have boyfriend pick me up at a Borders that neither of us really knew how to get to? This was a recipe for disaster.

But, I made it there with about thirty minutes to spare, got a little lost walking through Big Box mania – gotta love suburban Northern Virginia, and found my way to the book store where i called boyfriend to calm my nerves.

I find that meeting new people in your mid-twenties (yes i’m in my mid twenties now ha!…this is me embracing my quarter life and not letting it defeat me.) is a bit…tougher. I’ve always been a bit shy when meeting new people for the reasons noted above but now? It’s like you have to find common interests instead of them just being…there. On that point? It’s even WORSE when you meet a bloggy pal…you hope that you’re everything that they think you are, and you hope they’re not some shady poser. It’s kind of one foot in, one foot half ready to sprint away as fast as you can ASAP kind of thing. Granted, all of my experiences meeting bloggy pals (not bloggy boys…because ohhh the stories I could tell you from college about the couple of boys I met off Livejournal…) have been nothing short of fabulous.

Needless to say though, I was a little nervous last night meeting the fabulous Trish, but alas, all went swimmingly and though I was one of…two (five if you count her pals and husband)…which was sad…but she took it in stride and she did fabulously and I? Adore her and can not wait for book numero DOS!

After the reading and the Q&A…we chatted for a few, she signed my book, we chatted some more then I meandered downstairs to find out where boyfriend was since it lasted much shorter than I was expecting (honestly? I had no idea WHAT to expect). After all, I don’t go to these things on a regular basis, this is actually probably the first that I’ve ever been to (Jenn Lancaster will be the second on Monday! Anyone want to come to the fabulous land of big box stores and confusing roads with me??) and let me tell you? They are as fun as they sound.

I mean, I loved Trish’s book anyhow, but hearing the author read in their own voice? Is pretty flippin’ awesome. And also? I’m pretty sure I was like some tweeny girl who gets to meet Hannah Montana for the first time…it’s like meeting someone who you look up to. Because really? I’ve aspired to be a writer for a long time so authors like Trish who actually make themselves available to fans? Is so awesome to me.

During Q&A the other woman there asked about blogging, and Trish had me explain it…I have been “blogging” by some virtue or other since February 2001 when I first started my livejournal. I went through three livejournals in college – all of which are deleted, one remains but the entries have all been archived and deleted – but I remembered as I explained that it’s really just a public forum to share thoughts. I then realized after I explained the quasi-demise of my livejournal Is essentially written for me. I have 238 pages of old LJ entries that archive my college career, heart breaks, failed tests, first internships…I really need to get it all printed so I can read it, edit it and perhaps just maybe…I can use that as a manuscript, turn it into a story…turn it into fiction…and really be published.

I digress though, this isn’t about me or my dreams right now. This is about me being a little star struck over an amazing author who wrote an amazing book. Who I just happened to get the opportunity to meet…which is just…awesome. Yes I realize this post makes me a certified NERD but you know what? Twenty-five years later and I am finally ok with that fact

Yay!

Finally, because i’m having such a reading lovefest over here, Megan Crane (if you haven’t read her books check out English as a Second Language and Everyone Else’s Girl. I still haven’t checked out her other two books “Frenemies” and “Names My Sisters Call Me” but I’m dying too…as if I don’t have enough books I want to read sometime in my lifetime But anyhow, Megan shared a lil book give away contest love – if you go over to Blonde Reviews, there’s a give away if you share your favorite book of all time. I had a hard time sharing mine because I’ve read sooo many but one that I loved the most? I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe. I bought this when I was an intern in DC…when i had a horrible 45 minute commute on the orange line to Capitol Hill from East Falls Church. I bought it for the sole intention of reading it on the 17 hour flight to Singapore that I had with my Ex for spring break. Unfortunately, I finished the book about two weeks before we LEFT for Singapore because it was just that good.

What is YOUR Favorite book of all time??

UPDATE: There is approximately…a few hours (i said five…but we’ll see…it’ll be sometime tonight…) left to enter my Pay-It-Forward contest!

Tagged as: books