The Squee Spot

Fantasy. Fiction. Daydream. Delusion. Reverie. Illusion. Escape.

Books give us a way to take journeys, have adventures, and make friends like nothing else.

Before I start to sound like a PSA for your local library, I’ll just say that I’m a book nerd. I love fantasy, and far-fetched tales of kick-ass heroines and strong, sexy heroes. I also appreciate all the hard work, and endless imagination that undoubtedly goes into creating the worlds and characters that I wrap myself up in for hours at a time.

I have recently had the very squee-inducing pleasure of chatting (via twitter, mostly) with some really incredible authors. Some of whom already own shelf space in my library, and others that will as soon as money and time permit. These people are incredible powerhouses of talent, humor, and stamina. It’s not unusual to find writers commenting on their latest 12 hour work day, only stopping to cook dinner, run to the post office, go grocery shopping, or mop the floors. WOW!

Another thing I love about authors, is their willingness to get up close and personal with their readers. Whether is be via forums or online chats, twitter, interactive websites, book/signing tours, or conventions, there always seems to be a way to reach the writer of your choice.

Case in point… and the inspiration for this post… Vampire Academy/Georgina Kincaid/Dark Swan series author Richelle Mead‘s mini-tour for her upcoming release Spirit Bound. She polled her readers to determine which cities she would visit. Luckily, one stop on the tour, Miami, FL, was close enough for members of my book club to drive to.

She was very nice, a little soft spoken, and very enthusiastic about answering questions and talking to the crowd. She read an exerpt of her soon-to-be released book. It was really interesting to hear her reading her own words. How she emphasized some parts, and not others. It’s a little thing, but it gives some insight as to how the book is meant to be read.  Then she signed books and took pictures with fans, even answered more questions while signing. It was a long drive to make, and not really a cheap trip, but it was soooo worth it.

I would suggest to anyone who is passionate about something, whether it be music, movies, or books, to seek out and interact with the creators of your art. Go to special appearances, signings, readings, and conventions. Make the effort to talk to the artists and let them know what you think of their work. (Remember to be respectful, no rushing the poor people or screaming at them like a banshee. They, and your fellow fans, will appreciate your restraint.) I can’t speak in exact numbers, but most authors don’t make the kind of money that some actors and musicians do. They write for the sheer pleasure of writing, and the feedback they get from their readers. Here’s a (very) small list of conventions that I know about with opportunities to hear and meet authors:

• Comic Con
• Dragon*Con
• Romance Writers of America (RWA)
• RomCon
• Romantic Times Booklovers Convention (RT)
• PenguinCon
• World Horror Convention
• BookExpo America (BEA)
• SteamCon
• WordStock

Here’s the picture of our group with Richelle Mead… you can click here to read about our trip on our book club’s blog.

The best way to find out where the authors you read will be is to check their websites and forums, and subscribe to their newsletters. You can sometimes enter contests at the same time. Talk about WIN/WIN!

Go Forth! Find creators of art and BE SQEEFUL!

Jennifer