Thursday, July 1, 2010

Starstruck


What really knocks me out is a book that,
when you're all done reading it,
you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours
and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.
That doesn't happen much, though.
~ J. D. Salinger ~



Isn't that SO true?! I mean, be honest - haven't you felt EXACTLY like that after reading some of your favorite books?

I confess, I may have wished once or twice (or twenty times) that James Dashner and I could be best, best buddies (still working on that) or that Brandon Mull would text me and thank me for my adoration (which he hasn't) or that Emily Rodda would show up at my kids' birthday parties (they would be so starstruck!), but alas, none of that has happened (although James and I have e-mailed many times *grins happily*).

Sorry. I went a little fan-girl for a minute.

I'm willing to bet that you've all had those starstruck moments when thinking of favorite authors and how their stories affected you. I know I'm not alone on this one, cuz I've seen it on too many blogs - *coughs* like Shannon M. & Lisa Mantchev or LiLa and Lauren Oliver or Elana and Kathleen Duey...

You know what my favorite part about that is? That it feels SO GOOD to feel that way. Seriously. I love the way it feels to finish a fabulous story like The Hunger Games and suddenly want to know everything about Suzanne Collins and when she'll be anywhere near my city and how long I have to wait to have more, more, more!

I need a new book like that. The Scorch Trials isn't out yet. I know, I know, I can't believe I didn't get an ARC, either. I'm in a holding pattern as I wait for several not-yet-released sequels. So...

Name for me a book that left you starstruck,
in awe of the story and the author,
yearning for more.

31 comments:

Aubrie said...

I've emailed one of my favorite authors before and she emailed me back! It's quite a "sqeeee" moment.

Slamdunk said...

Michael Lewis' Moneyball left me wanting more.

I have been impressed at how approachable many writers are--I have been contacted back by authors directly more times than not.

Unknown said...

I loved Morning Glory, by LaVyrle Spencer. Especially the first half of the book and how she created the main characters. It felt so homey, I was sure that Spencer must know the MCs in real life. lol

Unknown said...

Of course I'll go with a must... after reading all the Harry Potter novels I would have loved to call J.K. Rowling up and talk with her!!

My newest one though is Ally Condie (Matched - coming in November) I love, love, loved it, and I emailed her to let her know how wonderful the story was and I couldn't wait for more! She replied and I was elated. It wasn't a best friend relationship but it was nice nonetheless!

Anonymous said...

In my head, John Green and I are buddies...not so much in real life :)

Anonymous said...

I too have a few too many to count. But everytime but one when I have e-mailed an author they have always responded and been wonderful!!!

Stephanie McGee said...

Jasper Fforde. I've been to a couple signings of his and he was amazing. Love his books, too.

Tere Kirkland said...

I'm still thinking about The Maze Runner and Catching Fire, too, so maybe you'll like The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer. It's one of those books that makes me wish I could write stories like that.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

I really loved Ink Exchange and would have loved to chat with Melissa Marr but also her character Irial.

PJ Hoover said...

I normally let authors know when I've read and loved their books.
Both THE MARBURY LENS and BLACK HOLE SUN have awed me recently.

Kari said...

If it's too cliche to say anything by Steph Meyer or JK Rowling, I'll say....LM Montgomery's Emily series or Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice : )

Jemi Fraser said...

Recently Suzanne Collins & Matthew Haddon - he wrote The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. It's told from the pov of an autistic teen - incredibly well written.

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

Oh, for me it was Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I wanted desperately to sit down and just hang out with David Levithan and John Green. And yet the couple of occasions I've had to talk to them, I've turned into a total fan girl and can hardly speak to save my life.

But meeting Barry Lyga was fabulous because he truly is as cool as you'd think he is from his books.

Now, you know what is even cooler? We got a chance to talk to Barry Lyga and David Levithan all at one sitting. Talk about making your legs quake. But I wish I could call up Emily Bronte and be like, "Heyyyyyy girl."

Zoe C. Courtman said...

Ah, Douglas Clegg's NEVERLAND - scary, but SO freakin evocative and resonant as hell :) And I'm perennially in love with Clive Barker's IMAJICA.

Racquel Henry said...

A book called Carrie Pilby by Caren Lisner...I just really loved it..and the author actually contacted me on on Facebook because she saw that I had listed it as one of my favorite books! A very memorable moment! I would also like to have Toni Morrison as a friend. Her books are amazing!

I just wanted to say thanks for stopping by my blog today, I really appreciate it! :)

Mary Aalgaard said...

I've read a couple by Lorna Landvik lately, MN author, that made me laugh and cry and sigh.

Corey Schwartz said...

That's a very interesting quote, because ... if I think about it... I am much more likely to want to call up one of the characters (rather than the author) after reading a book that I adore!

Karen Lange said...

Like the quote, glad you shared it:) I wonder if, as writers, we sometimes appreciate books more in this sense.
Happy weekend,
Karen :)

Theresa Milstein said...

The quote is so true! I agree with your post too. I loved The Hunger Games so much that I thought how nice it would be to meet the author and say, "How did you manage all those layers? And Katniss's growth is amazing. You kept her tough without becoming jaded. And the softening of her stereotyping. How you said so much with so few words was impressive."

I also want to meet J.K. Rowling, whom I'm pretty sure will tell me her books are actually non fiction, and I am, in fact, NOT a muggle.

Did you read The Giver by Lois Lowry. I wanted to meet her after reading it.

Nicole said...

I agree - I'd love to know so many of my fav authors :)

Jonathon Arntson said...

LOOKING FOR ALASKA - John Green
THE MAZE RUNNER - James Dashner (holla)
THE ROAD - Cormac McCarthy

Just to name a few.

Vicki Rocho said...

Okay, I'll be the oddball here. While I've read many MANY books that I loved, I never really thought about the authors until recently.

Am I weird? (don't answer that) It's just that authors have always seemed mysterious and un-touchable. I didn't know you COULD get in touch with them (again, until recently).

Now that I know you can correspond with them, I am eagerly awaiting my next OMG book because this time I WILL be searching out the author to fawn all over him/her.

Heather said...

That's a tough one. I've read a lot of excellent books lately, UNDER MY SKIN by Judith Graves, MISTWOOD by Leah Cypess and now I'm working on 13 TO LIFE by Shannon Delany. They've all left me salivating for a sequel!

Carolyn V. said...

Ohhh, this is a good question. Hum....There are so many! Do I have to pick just a handful?

I love your choices btw!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, I have definitely felt this way.

A recent one is MATCHED by Ally Condie.

And two other authors I'm in awe of are Megan Whalen Turner and Diana Wynne Jones. :)

Myrna Foster said...

I feel that way about Laini Taylor. And Stephanie Perkins is another one; I just read an ARC of Anna and the French Kiss, but it doesn't come out until December. It is SO GOOD.

Angela said...

T. Greenwood's "The Hungry Season"

Anonymous said...

I just finished one last night that I loved. The kind that makes you wish you'd written it.

The Dust of a 100 Dogs by A.S. King. (The title doesn't do it justice.)

Unknown said...

Series of Unfortunate Events!

I just got to meet 'Lemony Snickett' at BEZ and it was fantastic! He made fun of me and everything. It was great.

I definitely feel the same way.

Laura S. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura S. said...

There are so many novels I love and would love to have a long chat with the authors! I'd probably be too starstruck to say or do anything but stare, so maybe it's good chances like that don't come around much, LOL!

Books that left me wanting more: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech; Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson; The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough; Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett; The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd; Summer Sisters by Judy Blume... just to name a few!

Right now I'm reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I'm really liking it so far!

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