Who else misses in-person book events?
There are a lot of things I miss right now because of coronavirus: movie theaters, concerts, eating at restaurants, traveling. Up there on the list, though, is going to events where I get to hear my favorite authors speak and then stand nervously in line until I can meet them, babble on for a few seconds about how much I love their books, get my copies signed, and then treasure those books for the rest of my life.
Even though I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of my favorite authors in person, there are so many more that I would love to meet. So while I’m here daydreaming about the day that I can go to in-person events again, here are ten of the authors that I hope I can someday meet in person!
Alice Oseman
Hey, you know what makes me want to scream? The fact that Alice Oseman was scheduled to do events in New York last spring right after I was supposed to move to New York, and thanks to COVID neither of those things happened. 🙃
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you probably already know how much I love Alice Oseman’s books. I’ve read all of them, most at least twice, and several have helped get me through some pretty tough times. I feel like if I met her, I would be a mess trying to express all of this, but it would be amazing anyway.
my reviews: Radio Silence, I Was Born For This, Solitaire, Loveless, Heartstopper
Nina LaCour
Sometimes I think about the fact that Nina LaCour follows me on Twitter and then I have to stop thinking about it because she probably sees some of the dumb things I tweet and I don’t know if I can handle that.
But anyways, Nina LaCour has become one of my favorite authors in recent years. Not only are her books absolutely beautiful, but her writing podcast, Keeping a Notebook, is so inspiring and always puts me in the mood to write. Meeting her and being able to tell her all of this in person would be amazing!
my reviews: Watch Over Me, You Know Me Well
Rick Riordan
What’s wild is that I’ve actually been in the same room as Rick Riordan, close enough to hear his voice (when I worked at BookExpo in 2018), but I never actually got the chance to meet him myself. Since he shaped my childhood in a significant way with the Percy Jackson books, I would love to be able to tell him that. Plus, he just seems like a nice and cool dude!
Tillie Walden
It blows me away that Tillie Walden is only about a year older than me, because she’s written so many incredible graphic novels. I’ve never met someone who I admire so much who’s practically the same age as me, so if I ever met her I would probably have no idea what to say. (But then, that’s the case pretty much any time I meet an author I like.)
my reviews: On a Sunbeam, Are You Listening?
Erin Morgenstern
Erin Morgenstern actually had an event in my area last year but it happened to be at exactly the same time as a Casey McQuiston event, so I had to choose between the two. I don’t regret my choice, but I’m still sad I missed the opportunity to meet Erin Morgenstern. Hopefully next time she has a book, she’ll have another event near me (though that could be years from now).
Anyway, I’d love to tell her how much The Starless Sea meant to me, and also that we have the same birthday. I swear I’m not creepy.
my review: The Starless Sea
Justina Ireland
Justina Ireland has been an author that I admire ever since I first picked up Dread Nation. The main character, Jane McKeene, is one of my all time favorite characters, so I’d love to be able to tell her this myself. Also, she frequently posts terrible-amazing jokes on Twitter, which makes me think our senses of humor would get along well.
my reviews: Dread Nation, Deathless Divide
Samantha Shannon
Once again with the really young and impressive authors whose accomplishments make me feel like I’m not doing enough with my life! I still haven’t read all of Samantha Shannon’s books, but Priory is one of my favorite fantasy books and I’m looking forward to continuing the Bone Season books. Based on the imaginativeness of her books, she seems like such a smart and interesting person to talk to!
my reviews: The Priory of the Orange Tree, The Bone Season
Kristin Cashore
Given that Graceling is one of my favorite books of all time, and I’ve also loved every single one of Kristin Cashore’s other books, it makes sense that I’d want to meet her and tell her all of this in person. I was hopeful for a while that we might be able to have in-person book events by the time her next book, Winterkeep, comes out, but now it’s looking like that won’t be the case. Still, someday….
my reviews: Jane, Unlimited
Elizabeth Acevedo
I still haven’t read all of Elizabeth Acevedo’s books, but the ones that I have read blew me away. More than anything, I’d just really love to hear her speak in person. I’ve listened to her books on audio and she has such a calming voice, not to mention that her way with words is absolutely beautiful. She’s one of those authors who’s so smart that I’d have no idea what to say to her, but it would be incredible to meet her nonetheless.
my reviews: Clap When You Land, The Poet X
Alix E. Harrow
Again, if you’ve been following along with my reading this year, you’ve probably witnessed my descent into obsession with Alix E. Harrow’s writing. Both of her books became instant favorites, so getting to meet her myself would be a dream! I have no idea what her next book will be, but I’m sure I’ll love it too, and hopefully by the time it comes out it will be safe to have in-person events again. 🤞
my reviews: The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Once and Future Witches
What do you think of my list? Which authors would you like to meet? Do you miss in-person book events too?
x Margaret
Weird Zeal 
This is such a great list! So many of these authors are my list as well. I’d probably add Arundathi Roo, Jhumpa Lahri, S.A. Chakroborty and Laini Taylor to this list. Though honestly, knowing myself, I’d probably pass out if I met any of these amazing talents! 🙈🤣❤️
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Thanks so much! Ahhh I hope you get to meet those authors someday 😊 Haha I’m the same way—I would be absolutely freaking out, but in the best possible way.
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I was at an event with Cashore once, and she was very interesting! I remember she said her editor told her to basically rewrite Bitterblue from scratch, which sounds horrifying, but she seemed to agree it was the right advice.
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Ahh that’s so cool that you got to see Kristin Cashore speak! Ahaha I think I would also be horrified if an editor told me to rewrite an entire book 😅
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Sometimes I try to imagine how this went. Like, the editor finished the manuscript and said, “Oh, um. Yes. This is…interesting. Have you…thought of entirely rewriting it?” XD I’m sure it was much more nuanced and encouraging than that, though!
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At least it turned out okay, since personally I loved Bitterblue! 😊
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Oh my gosh do I miss book events!! Meeting Alice Oseman would be ~amazing~, I hope you get to catch her live sometime soon!! I would die to meet Rick Riordan oh my gosh, so cool you got to see him/be within 100 feet of him at BookExpo!! ♥
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I hope you get to meet Alice Oseman someday too! And yesss I’m still so mad at myself that I didn’t properly meet Rick Riordan…hopefully someday, though!
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Great list!
There’s so many authors I admire and would theoretically like to meet, but I know I’d get all starstruck and awkward if I actually did! But if I knew I could meet them and be normal, Samantha Shannon and Kristen Cashore would definitely be on my list too.
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I think being starstruck and awkward when meeting my favorite authors is pretty much a given for me too! I hope you get to meet those authors someday 😊
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I’d love to meet Elizabeth Acevedo and Alix E. Harrow! Great post, Margaret.
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I hope you get to someday! Thanks so much 😊
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This is a really cool post!! I have never attended an in person book event before, but I hope to find more to go to once things have gone back to some semblance of normal. I only know Samantha Shannon, Elizabeth Acevedo, Alix E. Harrow, Erin Morgenstern, and Rick Riordan from this list, and they would be so cool to meet, but the others all seem like interesting authors!! I did get to meet V.E. Schwab at an online book event so that was very surreal. I hope you get to meet all these authors soon!!
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Book events are so fun, I miss them! I hope you’re able to go to one at some point too. Ahh that’s amazing that you got to virtually meet V.E. Schwab—she’s another author who I would love to talk to someday 😄
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ahh i really want to meet rick riordan in real life too!! he just seems like such a kind, loving guy, though i’d probably make a mess of myself talking about how much his books mean to me 😭 an author i’d love to meet who isn’t on your list is rf kuang!! she just seems so sweet and smart (and so funny too). great post!!
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I would absolutely make a mess of myself too if I ever got to talk to Rick Riordan 😅 I hope you get to meet RF Kuang someday, that would be amazing!!
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Now I’m yearning to meet all the authors 🥺 I only meet Angie Thomas & Jennifer L. Armentrout (sadly my options to meet authors were limited as not that many come to Germany) but it was so worth it 🥰 I would also LOVE to meet Rick Riordan! And Susan Dennard, as both are two of my favorite authors 💕
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That’s so cool that you’ve gotten to meet those authors! I really hope you get to meet Rick Riordan and Susan Dennard too, and that there’ll be more author events in your area someday 😊
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BookExpo’s seem like so much fun, I hope that they happen soon!
All of these authors would be amazing – Alice Osman, Rick Riordan and Erin Morganstern would be amazing and interesting people!
Emma xx
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I hope so too! Ahh yes I imagine they would be so interesting to talk to 😊 Thanks so much!
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I keep thinking about all the people/concerts/events that I’m so grateful to have experienced because in a world where I didn’t get to meet Maggie Stiefvater enough times that I could finally actually speak to her or see Panic! at the Disco more than I’ve done any other thing is just–not a world I want to participate in. I really, really hope that, someday, who knows when, we’ll be able to have in-person events again, and I can gush over Leigh Bardugo’s aesthetic just one more time, please!
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I completely agree! Never thought an introvert like me would say this, but I miss in-person events so much, and I can’t wait for the day we can do them again. Fingers crossed it won’t be too much longer!
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Ah I love this list so, so much. I would love to be able to meet some of my favorite authors, even if I’m pretty certain I’ll be a rambling mess in front of them haha. I’d love love love to meet Alice Oseman, I adore her work! ❤
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Thanks, Marie! ❤ Ahaha I'd TOTALLY be a rambling mess in front of my faves. Meeting Alice Oseman would truly be a dream come true!
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