Kevin's Watch

I've met George R.R. Martin twice; at the first signing in '99 there were only about ten of us there. He did a reading and answered questions. Because there were so few of us he stuck around and talked for a long time and let us take tons of pictures of him. He was great. The next time I saw him was in Toronto in '05. There were tons of people there.

Saw Robert Jordan twice; he wasn't so personable. We were kind of rushed through the whole signing both times. ('We' being me and my friend Eric.)

R.A. Salvatore was a real gentleman when we saw him in '03. I brought so many books to be signed he said I probably sent his kids to college.

Met Margaret Weis in Chicago in '04. She was so gracious. She also joked about how many books I brought.

Like Jordan, Neal Stephenson wasn't too friendly; I had only read "Snow Crash" so he wasn't a big deal. Ended up giving my signed books away late last year anyway.

Dan Simmons we saw in Chicago in '04. He was a little on the quite side as far as conversation but he was great. He did a reading and answered questions. Got the whole signing on videotape.

Greg Keyes we saw in Lexington KY. Hardly anyone was there. He was impressed that we traveled so far to see him. (I was living in central Illinois at the time.)

Orson Scott Card we met twice near Chicago.

Also saw the two Terry's: Brooks and Goodkind in '99. I grew quite tired of their never-ending series so I'm not really a fan anymore. They were nice guys though.

There are many other authors I'd like to meet in person, SRD is definitely one of them. I hope he comes eastward on his next book tour. I've given up hope of ever meeting Anne McCaffrey or Robert Silverberg. Robin Hobb is definitely on my list to meet someday.

Met and spoken too, rather than just seen?

Only three that I recall, but they're all very special memories.

Roddy Doyle and George McDonald Fraser, at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

SRD at Bristol.

Orson Scott Card here in Gator Town.
SRD at the 2007 elohimfest.

I too wish to meet Anne McCaffrey, but from what I've seen on her website, I think her future con appearances in the States may be few and far between, if at all. And I doubt I'll ever get an invite to Dragonhold.

*sigh*

So far I have met Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean on a couple of occasions in (Forbidden Planet to be exact) where I got various Sandman items signed as well as some newer novels

Terry Pratchett also at FP

SRD for the signing of Runes at FP

A couple of comic book authors at FP but can't recall the names as I was there to see a friend rather than attend the actual book signings.

I have also met and worked with a couple of childrens authors at work over the past couple of years as well as the sister of this years Booker Prize-winning Irish author, Anne Enright.

I hope he comes eastward on his next book tour.

I wouldn't count on that.

I've met SRD at least 6 times, GRR Martin twice, Walter Jon Williams twice, Fred Saberhagen twice, Robert Vardeman once, Ben Bova once, Daniel Abraham once, Jack Williamson once, Jane Lindskold once and Roger Zelazny once. Melinda Snodgrass uses my chiropractor, but I've never run into her...oh and I had a short, three letter coorespondence with Lin Carter.

I have seen Kim "Spider" Robinson, Connie Willis and Chas De Lint on panels..

SRD, Robert Vardeman and I exchanged somewhat rude email with Peter S. Beagle and then later went and met him and we exchanged apologies. I actually had filed the email in the "crackpot/hatemail" file in my email before realizing he was actually the real Peter S. Beagle.

OH HEY! I still have the one he sent me originally! And it wasn't insulting to me but rather to SRD. I sent him a pretty nasty note defending SRD in response. Can't seem to find that though... pity.

Hey, what am I, chopped liver?

Meaning no disrespect - oh, hell, of course I'm being disrespectful, and delighting in it - I'm a way better writer than Stephen Donaldson, as are twenty more people whom I could think of without breaking a sweat. My entire oeuvre - novels such as THE LAST UNICORN, A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE, THE INNKEEPER'S SONG and TAMSIN - may not equal THOMAS COVENANT in pure page count, sales figures, or butterfat content, but they've lasted a long time, and one or another of them might work well on your truly splendid and brilliantly-conceived program. Anyway, I thought I'd volunteer myself, because I'm not getting any younger. (Well, actually I am, but that's another novel altogether...)

I apologize for coming on this brashly; it really isn't my nature at all. But I do love both the notion and the execution of your program - and anyway, Donaldson? Okay, he's better than Terry Brooks, but after that it narrows down fast.

Thank you for listening to my rant - for which, once again, I apologize. And I do wish you every possible kind of good luck!

Sincerely yours,


Peter S. Beagle

Real authors, not comic book authors? 'Cause I've met scores of them--and artists too!

I once had dinner with Tony DiTerlizzi (now famous for the Spiderwick Chronicles) back when he was a lowly artist for Magic: the Gathering. I attended Origins Game Expo in 1998, and was going to have dinner with a friend (and fellow Magic artist) Quinton Hoover. When I showed up to pick up Quinton there was a large group of M:TG artists and a few Wizards of the Coast employees waiting. In the end we all went out for a fancy Italian dinner that Wizards paid for. I sat across from Mike Raabe (he ended up asking for my famous fudge cake recipe--and I forgot to send it him!), and Tony was one person over, and Quinton was on the other side of Mike. Tony and Quinton drew sketches on the paper table covering, and those went home with me.

Other than that, I've met a couple of handfuls of authors, just not ones that are famous.