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January 18th: What have been your most fulfilling blogger/author interactions so far?
I’ve been blogging for 12 years this month and I’ve attended a couple dozen conferences, signings, author meetings, etc. (probably more, but I’m guessing about 2 per year). I would say that 95% of my in-person interactions have been positive and rewarding. I’ve also been active on social media this whole time, and I’ve had wonderful interactions in the digital world as well.
It’s hard to go back over the years and find the best, most-fulfilling moments because there are have many wonderful times. One that stands out is my very first author interaction, where I met Lara Adrian. When I went up to speak with her and get a book signed, she immediately recognized me from our online interactions and gave me a hug.
One of the more recent and memorable is attending an event with Ilona and Gordon Andrews where we got to sit down and ask questions. They were so friendly and open to dialogue, I was gobsmacked and starstruck!
Probably the most satisfying experience I had involves the amazing Nalini Singh, and it requires a little explanation. I am a Girl Scout troop leader, and back in 2015, when my girls were young, they did a presentation on New Zealand. I tweeted some of their project and mentioned it to Nalini – how they are learning about her country. Nalini reached out to me and sent my girls a HUGE box of goodies from New Zealand. They were so excited to try the different treats and thought it was so cool to get something from another country. It warmed my heart – what an amazing and generous woman!
EDITED TO ADD:
Well, I didn’t read the question correctly and only put my blogger-author interactions (and not blogger-blogger) in the post. I didn’t want to neglect my blogging buddies, because they’ve become some of the closest and dearest friends out there. My most satisfying times at conferences are the times spent with my friends, and lately (pre-COVID) that happens at Coastal Magic. I love laughing, drinking, eating, and talking with the bloggers, former bloggers, and readers I now consider my friends. Here is a picture of a group from the last con I went to in 2020, just before lockdown.
