Top Ten Authors We Can’t Believe We’ve Met or Are Dying to Meet

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish in which you make a list of ten to do with a certain topic.  This week’s topic is “Top Ten Authors I’m Dying To Meet / Ten Authors I Can’t Believe I’ve Met  (some other “meeting authors” type spin you want to do).”  We both couldn’t decide on one or the other, so did a bit of a mix.

Curly Carla’s Top Ten:

The following authors I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting a couple years ago at an author/reader con. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I will never forget the welcome they made me feel.

1. Stormy Smith — she was the first author to ever answer me when I reached out to her with silly questions. Her writing is absolutely wonderful. I love the way her brain works. And she is a great dancer!
2. Caylie Marcoe — her book was the first one to ever make me cry and I love her sarcastic sense of humor. And she takes pretty cool pictures.
3. Alex Tuttle — I just loved picking this guy’s brain. His writing has always captivated me.
4. Theresa Kay — she writes in my favorite genre and adds a depth to her books that constantly astound me. I loved being able to hang out with her at Utopiacon.
5. Kat Nichols — I was fortunate enough to go line dancing with her and I had such a wonderful time.
6. Regan Oakley — I love her honesty and her playfulness. Her ability to combine both of those traits shows in her writing as well.
   

   Now we are to the part on authors I’m dying to meet.

7. Michelle Bolanger — I consider her a wonderful writer and a friend. We met through IABB and we just hit it off. We’ve been friends for a couple years now and I am grateful to be a part of her team.
8. Lila Felix — I have been a fan for a while and would love to meet her in person.
9. Cassie Mae — How could I leave out this glorious personality? She has such a great heart, I can’t wait to finally meet her…one day.
10. Anyta Sunday — I love her writing and have for a while. She is the author of one of my favorite series OF ALL TIME!!

Lenoreo’s Top “Ten” Authors I Can’t Believe I’ve Met:

I’ve been fortunate to attend 5 separate author signings/conventions, and have met some amazing authors.  These were my absolute favourites in order of when I met them.

1. Nyrae Dawn — My first signing was at Orlando Book Bash 2013, and Ms. Dawn was the second author I met.  I’d even seen her outside the venue and had to act “cool” and not run up to her while she was just vacationing.  The truly amazing twist to this story is that I have since Beta Read twice for Ms. Dawn, having been recommended by a mutual friend.  Seriously, sometimes my life is too cool for words.
2. Rachel Higginson — Before I ever met Ms. Higginson, I was a part of her street team because I’d become a mega huge fan.  And through the street team I was lucky enough to interact with her personally, which I don’t think authors will ever understand how huge that is to a reader like me.  I first met her in person at Penned Con 2014 in St. Louis, and my hubby and I got to hang out with her, her husband, and a few of the Rebel Writers (see number 6).  Since then I truly feel like I can call her a friend, and I’ve seen her at UtopyaCon 2015, Emerald City Author Event 2016, and a girl’s weekend in Wisconsin in 2016.  I’ve also beta read a few of her books.  She is a delight.

   

3. Rebecca Ethington — While I’ve only read 2 of Ms. Ethington’s books, I absolutely fell in love with them.  And I find her truly delightful.
   
4. The Rebel Writers: Alex Tuttle, Caylie Marcoe, Kat Nichols, Regan Claire, Stormy Smith and Theresa Kay — Oh my Rebel Writers.  I kind of cheated if you couldn’t tell, hence why I put ten in quotes.  I met the ladies of this group through Rachel Higginson’s street team, and when they decided to group together to help each other achieve their dreams of becoming authors, I wholeheartedly jumped onto that bandwagon and joined their own street team, where I was introduced to Alex.  I think I’ve now beta read for all of them, including the debut novels of 5 of the 6.  And while I may group them together, they are wildly different, but all amazingly talented and delightful people.  I met Caylie and Theresa at Penned Con 2014, and then saw ALL of them at UtopyaCon 2015.  And I’ve been lucky to hang out with a few at UtopiaCon 2016, and at 2 separate girl’s weekends in 2016 and 2017.  It was through them that I met my co-blogger Curly Carla, so I will be grateful to them for more than just their beautiful words.

   

5. Anne Eliot — I met Ms. Eliot at the Emerald City Author Event 2016 in Seattle, and she was just ridiculously adorable and delightful, and I can’t even express how enjoyable it was to talk to her!
   
6. Cassie Mae — Oh Cassie Mae.  She is not just an amazing author that I am a huge fan of, I consider her a close friend.  I’m not even sure how our friendship started, I think she contacted me after I reviewed her debut novel, Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend.  And there are just some people in the world that you click with and know they’re meant to be in your life.  I’ve since beta read quite a few books for her, and each one floors me for their uniqueness and heart (and OMG humour).  And when I was given the opportunity to meet her and room with her and basically shenanigate with her at UtopiaCon 2016, you can bet your booty I jumped all over it.

   

7. Rebecca Yarros — I actually met Ms. Yarros the first time at UtopyaCon 2015, but I don’t think I managed to get a picture with her (though I did come back and show her my fresh tattoo).  I then proceeded to stalk her again at UtopiaCon 2016 and complete my collection of the books she had out at the time.  Of course now she has more books out, so perhaps I will have to stalk her again at another event.
   
8. Tiffany King — Ms. King is one of those first Indie authors I read, and I have admired her talent for years, particularly her YA contemps.  So when I saw she was going to be at UtopiaCon 2016, I knew I had to meet her.  And lucky for me, I was able to tag along with Cassie Mae, which probably gave me a bit more street cred.  I can pretend I’m cool and not just a ridiculous fangirl.
   
9. Kelly Oram — This was another author that I pretty much freaked out about meeting at UtopiaCon 2016.  And again, she knew Cassie!!  So not only did I meet her, get her ENTIRE book collection signed, but I got to hang out with her on one of the days!!  Be jealous, be very very jealous.

   

10. Cambria Hebert — It’s funny, b/c while Ms. Hebert had been at UtopyaCon 2015, I had yet to read any of her books so I didn’t meet her at the time.  But I got sucked into her Hashtag and Gearshark series, and so you can bet I stalked her at UtopiaCon 2016.  In fact, I fully intend to get more books for my collection at the Big Apple Author Event in October of this year.
    

Lenoreo’s Top “Ten” Authors I’m Dying to Meet:

1. Katy Regnery — I GET TO MEET HER!!  In like a month and a half at Romancing the Falls 2017 in Niagara Falls.  Super excited.
2. Ginger Scott — Same deal with Ms. Scott!!  I can’t wait for May!!  She’s going to take all my money as I buy up all her books.  🙂
3. Brenda Rothert — I’ve only read one book by Ms. Rothert, but I really really enjoyed it, so I’m looking forward to meeting her in May as well!
4. Sarina Bowen — I GET TO MEET HER TOO!!  This time at the Big Apple Author Event  in October in NYC!!  She’s another author that’s going to take all my money.
5. Lauren Layne — Another author I am STOKED to meet at the Big Apple Author Event!!  I’ve already started collecting a few of her paperbacks to bring with me and get signed.
6. Elle Kennedy — This is an author that I don’t currently have plans of meeting, but I would really love to.  I noticed her name on the Apollycon 2018 list, so perhaps I need to go to Washington, D.C. in a year?
7. Melissa Pearl/Jordan Ford — I would DIE to meet Ms. Pearl, who also writes as Jordan Ford.  I became a member of her ARC team at the beginning of 2016, and recently beta read a few of her books.  She’s delightful, and I would run out of money collecting her books.  But hey, maybe this is an excuse for us to go to New Zealand!
8. Jolene Perry/Mia Josephs — I “met” Ms. Perry through Cassie Mae, and was lucky enough to beta read a few of her Mia Josephs books.  I adore interacting with her, she’s just such a beautiful soul, and sassy to boot.  I would love to meet her someday.
9. Sarah Mayberry — I think this is the first author I ever solicited for a signed book.  When my hubby and I traveled to Australia, I contacted her via e-mail (I still don’t know how I was that brave), and while she didn’t have any events happening while we were there, she was nice enough to send a signed copy to the hotel we were staying at in Melbourne.  It would be sweet to attend an event and actually get to meet her, she’s hands down my favourite Harlequin author (though she doesn’t write exclusively through them, it’s just what I know her most from).
10. Amy Harmon — I am blown away by Ms. Harmon’s talent and words, and so would definitely love to meet her!

As you can see, most of the authors on both my lists are there b/c I have a personal connection to them in some way.  I can’t tell you how amazing that is, to live in a world where I can interact with authors I admire and occasionally become friends with them.

So how about you guys?  What authors can you not believe you’ve met?  What authors would you DIE to meet?