Top Ten Tuesday! (1)

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by Broke and the Bookish!

This may be my first post in this meme. I've been interested in joining it for a while now so I'm pretty excited.

This week: Top Ten Best Bookish Memories

In no particular order, here we go!

1. Meeting Maggie Stiefvater (any of the times I've met her.) She's always funny and gracious. If you ever have the chance to meet her, go!

2. An evening with Neil Gaiman at UCLA

This was years ago possibly 2009. He read an excerpt from Odd and the Frost Giants, which made me love him even more. It was too crowded and crazy for me to meet him or get anything signed afterwards, but I had a wonderful time.

3. Twilight- yes. I said it.

The first book caught me and my friends like wildfire, causing an array of shrieks, discussion and swooning. And even though we knew the movies were not going to live up to our expectations, I have many fond memories of waiting outside on opening night. 

4. Los Angeles Times Festival of Books 

A beautiful book festival that takes place in April of every year, I love wandering around with friends and discovering new books, indie bookshops and authors. If you live in the Los Angeles area, I suggest you check it out. Maybe I'll see you there! 

5. Christopher Moore signing at Vromans.

My husband's aunt and uncle were in town from Australia, AUSTRALIA!, and I brought them along. To say the place was packed is an understatement, even standing room was tight. His monologue was hilarious, I got some books signed and got to meet one of my favorite authors. My family members really enjoyed him too. There I am with Thuy from Read Now Sleep Later.

6. Meeting new friends.

Once you start going to signings, and seeing people again and again, you get to know them and make friends. After seeing her everywhere, I introduced myself to Nicole at The Reader's Antidote  and was fortunate enough to meet Crystal from Elegantly Bound Books at a little soiree after one of the book signings in Montrose that our friend A from RNSL put together. I've also met Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy and many many more new friends. I've met wonderful bloggers, authors and readers just by hanging out. I met Alethea through a mutual friend and without her, none of this blogging would have been possible.

7. Discovering new genres.

I know, this sounds crazy. But it's actually at Target that a very pretty book cover caught my eye. Shiny, purple and mysterious, I opened it, started reading, and couldn't put it down. Now it was book number four in a series and they didn't carry the first book. But this book opened up the door for me on an entire genre- Romance. The book I picked up was Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione and I became a fan of hers and discovered an addicting sub genre of fiction- paranormal romance.

Thank you Target.

8. ALA- Anaheim
I know there's some controversy about bloggers attending ALA. I'm not going to get into that. All I'm going to say is I had a wonderful/marvelous/absolutely fun time. I loved meeting publishers, talking about books, touching books, reading books, waiting in line for books to be signed. I am truly grateful I was able to attend. I did witness some of the concerns people talk about, and had some happen to me, but overall, it was a truly fun experience. I hope the couple bad apples don't spoil it for the rest of us.

9. Pride & Prejudice (and Harry Potter)
Not kidding. So many conversations have been centered around Jane Austen, P&P, the films, the mini-series, etc. ItIt's one of those books you're surprised by just how many love this book, and want to talk about it at length! I think I've met and bonded with more people over these books than any other. Well that and Harry Potter. 

10.  Going to the bookstore with my Dad and Mom.
It's sorta a tradition that when I go home to the east coast, my patient father is the only one brave enough to go with me to the large B&N off the highway and sit with me for hours while I browse. I know, I know. It's a B&N. It's not like I'm going to find anything I can't get out here in LA. But I have lots of great memories of Dad going with me, buying me books, and encouraging me to read. 
On a similar note, I have lots of fond memories of Mom going with me to Borders, which was closer, and buying me books, even when she knew I had too many. Just because she knows I like to sit around in bookstores. It's one of my favorite things to do.

Thanks for reading! Do you have a top ten?!