Tuesday, February 5, 2013

The Broke and Bookish Crew's Top Ten Best Bookish Memories

Top Ten Best Bookish Memories (waiting in line for a new release, meeting an author, or some sort of great experience with a particular book that was unlike others)

Julia says:
My senior year of college I was sitting on the couch when I got a friend request. I look to see who it was and it was from Julia Quinn, one of my all time favorite romance novel authors. I was floored. I have no idea how she found me, but I accepted (this was before fan pages). Anyway, continuing on with the awesomeness. One day JQ put out a request for libraries. If they wanted international copies of her books, let her know and she'd send them the language they asked for. As I had just returned from China, I asked if I could nominate my library to get a Chinese book. She messaged me personally for my address and sent a copy of 書信傳深情 aka To Sir Philip, with Love. I have yet to make it more than a page through it, but getting that book was a seriously awesome bookish memory!

Jana says:
I went to a book signing at my local library for the Fierce Reads tour last summer. Anna Banks was the first in the line, and she totally knew who I was from my blog! Then I got to Leigh Bardugo, who asked me if my eyelashes were real, because they looked pretty awesome. (She has since remembered me at other events as the eyelash girl from Utah!). And Emmy Laybourne, even though I had never heard of her, had heard of me! This was the first time someone in the real world had recognized me from my blog, and they were authors! I kind of felt like a celebrity.

Tahleen says:
I feel like I've talked about this a bunch of times here on The Broke and the Bookish, but my very favorite bookish memory was meeting Bill Bryson at the Boston Book Festival in 2010. He is pretty much my hero. As we only had seconds to interact, I had to think fast what to say to him when I got to the head of the line. It was finally my turn to get my book signed, and I told him how much I loved listening to his narrations of his audiobooks, that I loved listening to him when I drove to and from college. He was happy enough to tell me, "That's wonderful! Let me shake your hand!" and then HE DID. I shook Bill Bryson's hand and it was marvelous. He's just as nice a man as you would think from his books. A close second to this meeting was when I met John Green, who asked about my name, and after I told him it was Armenian he said he wishes HE were Armenian so he could name his daughter that. Pretty fantastic.

Lori says:
I think it's pretty well a known fact that my favorite novel is Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind.  I first encountered this novel shortly after Christmas when I was 13.  On Christmas Day, my dad and I randomly decided to watch it because it was on TV.  I was completely taken.  Then I found out that this amazing movie was also a book.  And my grandparents actually had a copy upstairs.  Naturally, I took it.  I devoured all 862 pages of the 1958 edition.  I was completely transported by the words and the story and the emotions that they evoked in me.  I remember thinking that I had discovered some lost story and that I must share it with everyone.  Fortunately, my friends at that time were not really readers, so I got to hold onto that feeling for a while.  Though I gradually discovered the widespread love of this novel, I will never forget the feeling I had when I first "discovered" this great story.

Daisy says:
My favourite bookish memories revolve around reading with other people. I have really happy childhood memories of my mom reading stories to me before going to sleep and when I could read myself: reading in the backyard next to her. When I go somewhere on holiday I also love to read in gorgeous place and one of my favourite holiday memories is reading with my boyfriend in a park in Barcelona, it was gorgeous!
Also: before The Hunger Games became a movie, the books weren't all that well-known in Holland. I'd been giving and loaning my own copies to friends and family for birthdays and such for a while and EVERYONE loved them! I totally laughed when one of my friends texted me a week after the movie came out, being a bit huffy about how everyone wanted to read the books after seeing the movie ;)

Bridget says:

Hands down, my best bookish memory is going to see Stephen King live in person at UMass Lowell this past December. It was an incredible experience, even though I didn't get to actually meet him or have him sign anything. He's a great speaker and is very engaging, and has this wonderfully dry sense of humor that definitely comes through in his writing but is even more apparent when listening to him. He's also a great narrator: he debuted a new short story that hasn't been published and in fact had never been heard before, and his narration was perfect. He even sort of acted it out a little bit. In short, he is absolutely captivating in person and I fully plan to follow him around the country as much as that's possible, considering he doesn't do many appearances.

Jamie says:

Meeting John Green! ERMGOSSHHH I still can't believe it happened. I waited in line for FOREVER because it was the National Book Fest and I had SO much time to come up with something to say and then at the last moment I just babbled about how I used a quote from his book for our wedding centerpiece! He was like "Hey, that's cool!" and congratulated me. Fangirl Jamie was super flaily for an hour afterwards. In my head we totally becomes bffs.





Kimberly says:
I've talked about this a lot here on the blog, so forgive me for repeating myself... But my favorite bookish memory is growing up with Harry Potter. I went to every midnight release. It was so much fun! I met loads of rather odd people, ran into teachers at the bookstore that were there, not with their kids, but for themselves! The local Barnes and Noble always put on a great party. Edible wands, black glasses, costume contests, they'd have a reading of the previous book set up in one corner. The energy was incredible, and so contagious. I'd be flying high within minutes of getting there. Around 11-11:30 they'd kick everyone out of the store and we'd have to line up outside, at midnight they'd open the doors again and we'd go in by groups. (The earlier you pre-paid for your book, the better line ticket you got). I remember the last party. I was 17 and had just graduated from high school (yes do the math and you have my age). I was there with my aunt, and randomly ended up in line with a former cast mate from a high school show, (she was all dressed up and drew quite a bit of attention). I get all excited just remembering it! Just like every other book release, it took FOREVER for midnight to come. "Is how time normally passes? Really slowly?" And then it was time! I can even remember which register I got my book from, how the book felt when they handed it to me, and how I was torn between excitement and tears. It was the final book. But it was also the FINAL book. So that's my favorite bookish memory, it's technically more than one but you all don't mind, do you? ;)


What are some of YOUR favorite memories? Did you grow up with Potter like Kimberly? Meet your favorite authors like a few of us (and did your fangirl flaily hands make an appearance like mine did?). Let us know!



49 comments:

  1. @Bridget - Stephen King???? That would absolutely make my top ten list! I met John Green at BEA last year - he was lovely, as you would expect. King though … iconic.

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  2. I've met John Green, too. It was before he was so ubber popular. I actually was one of 10 or so librarians who attended his session at a conference...I'd love to meet Bill Bryson. I love his audiobooks, too.

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  3. Lori - I totally should have added Gone With The Wind to my list! My mom love, love, loved that book and I just kept looking at it at around age twelve going - I could never read that book - it's huge! Then at fourteen I picked it up and LOVED it too! Have read it about three or four times now!

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  4. Great memories, guys! And I totally understood about John Green. I died. My favorite bookish memory was reading my first book by myself the first day of summer vacation after first grade. :) It had ponies in it.

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  5. These are SO fun to read! I definitely did my share of harry potter midnight release book parties.

    My Top Ten

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  6. Ah, I need to move to a place where I could actually MEET authors! Middle of nowhere, Texas, just isn't that much of a hotspot for literature it seems. Totally agree with growing up with Harry Potter as well.

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    1. You've got to try and go to the Austin Teen Book Festival in Sept. Unless you're driving from the panhandle to Corpus, everything's relatively close!

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    2. How about being stuck in New Mexico? I know your pain.

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    3. I feel your pain as well, I live in Holland and basically NO ONE ever comes here...

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  7. All great stories. I missed all of the HP book releases, but when my daughter turned 12, the last last last Deathly Hallows movie was released, so we took her and her friends to the midnight movie.

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  8. Wow, I think it would be cool to meet some of my favorite authors!! I am excited because in August I am finally going to get to do just that!! So that will totally make the list, if this is ever a list again!!

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  9. Harry Potter made my VERY short list too. Not that we had midnight releases or anything but I remember the excitement leading up to the release day :)

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  10. I met John Green last year, too. He was an amazing speaker at the talk I attended.

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  11. Great memories! I love how books bring people together and everyone gets to experience their own memories.

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  12. I included several Harry Potter memories in my post as well :)

    And I was at the National Book Festival this year for John Green too! There were sooooo many lines to get his autograph!

    I bet Stephen King would be a GREAT speaker! I'd love to hear him someday!

    Lauren @ Hughes Reviews

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  13. Seeing Stephen King in person? SO jealous! Funny how meeting an author, just for a little bit, can be such an experience

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  14. Love these stories. I can't wait to go visit other blogs and hear the bookish memories of others.

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  15. All such great bookish memories! I enjoyed reading all of them, especially various authors you've all met! Thanks so much for sharing them! :D

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  16. I feel un-cool [ha] - I haven't met any authors. :/

    My list is kind of just a Harry Potter-fest [woops], but I had lots of fun thinking of them all!

    ~ Alex @ Like, Words and Stuff
    xo

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  17. It's so interesting to read other people's bookish memories!
    I found that I didn't possess many 'bookish memories' so I altered my list slightly to memories I hope to have.
    Thanks for sharing your incredible memories!

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  18. Now, I kinda feel like my list's too general. :))

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    1. Most people wrote HP on their lists. Haha. I feel guilty for not remembering that -.-"

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  19. What wonderful Bookish memories I have met some really great authors this year!! Its been an amazing ride starting a little book blog!

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  20. These are great memories! I've never met John Green or Stephen King (!!!), but meeting authors whose books are special to you is such a wonderful feeling. Even better if they turn out to be funny and good performers in person! One of my favorite bookish memories was meeting Sherman Alexie, who was absolutely hilarious. He even drew a Native American caricature in the book he signed for me!

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  21. Most of mine are Harry Potter related too! I love the feeling of meeting a favourite author. When I met Jodi Picoult I really wished I'd said something to her but I was too shy! Great selection guys, really enjoyed reading your memories :)

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  22. I wish I wasn't such a Johnny come lately to this blog ... next time I'll play along but these lists are tremendous! I think we took our son to every single solitary Harry Potter book release party at our local B&N. He'd dress up ala Harry, I'd draw the scar on his forehead. When he got older he went with his friends to the midnight movie releases. Good times, great bookish memories.

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  23. makes me wish I had cool stories about meeting authors. :( I shall just have to live vicariously through y'all.

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  24. I loved this! It was my first Top Ten Tuesday, and it brought back so many memories in the life of a book nerd. (smile)So much fun!!
    Beth @ Free SPirit Books

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  25. What a trip down memory lane. Good week! Can't wait to read through other lists later tonight!

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  26. I loved this topic :) you made me smile ^^

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  27. I like the way you did your post today and I liked your memories. kelley—the road goes ever ever on

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  28. Jana, I didn't know you were from Utah. I feel a bit bad for not realizing that before since I'm from Utah too. And, I loved that signing. All the authors were so nice. That's so cool that they recognized you from the blog. :D

    Kimberly, even though I was about ten years older than you when the last HP book came out. I had basically the exact same experience as you. I remember it was like yesterday. And, I still hold the HP books close to my heart. :)

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    1. Yeah! I didn't know you're from Utah either! We definitely need to meet up at a future signing. :)

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  29. Wow you guys have some cool memories. Meeting John Green sounds awesome.

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  30. These are such cool memories. OMG I would LOVE to meet John Green! The fangirl flaily hands would definitely be out then, no question.

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  31. great memories.. and I love Julia Quinn too..:) HP made it to my list too..

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  32. LOVE the topic this week! Thanks for picking it! I haven't really met a favorite author and everyone else's posts are making me want to!

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  33. Having read some of these my Top Ten now seems fairly inappropriate. Fun though!

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  34. Here's mine for this week: http://birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/top-ten-tuesday-week-46/

    It sounds like you guys have some awesome memories!

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  35. I love meeting authors but I get too excited and never say the things I want too. But oh how I would love to meet John Green or Stephen King! Stupid ocean getting in the way :(

    All your memories sound amazing.

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  36. Like you guys, several of my favorite bookish memories revolve around meeting my favorite authors - although I forgot to put up there the time Megan McCafferty posted on my Facebook Wall when I raved about how much I loved "Bumped." I almost died. Like Jamie, I am a total fangirl when I meet my fave authors. After I met Ellen Hopkins at NCTE, I talked about it for an hour. (And we only talked for not even 5 minutes.) My sweet husband was very patient. Like Kimberly though, some of my BEST memories involve reading and re-reading the Harry Potter series. Seriously a defining moment in my reading career and my life.

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  37. I suspect there are a lot of Harry Potter memories. He's certainly in my top ten - in my case, the very first time I read the books at the age of 14.

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  38. First time participating and this was quite the fun link-up! I loved seeing all of the Harry Potter memories, since they were also a large part of my childhood.

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  39. I am so jealous Bridget that you saw/met Stephen King! I have always and still do, want to meet him!!

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  40. Getting the Harry Potter books definitely made for some special memories. :) I didn't get the final one at midnight, but I did go with my best friends the next day to get it, and we spent the next couple days reading them more-or-less together, which was just as special!

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  41. I'm a day late, because I was too wrapped up in a novel yesterday and I forgot to finish writing! But late is better than never, yes?

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  42. Meeting Lauren Willig at the Tucson Book Festival last year and having her sign the book of hers that I carried all over London (on our anniversary, no less) to take pictures of it at places where the characters might have actually been! She was wonderful! I wish we had time to sit down and have a cup of tea together!

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  43. Just starting my top ten this tuesday! This sounds like loads of fun, thanks!

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