I've met a couple of prose authors, via my time at Barnes & Noble. Rick Riordan, who wrote the Percy Jackson series of YA adventure novels, dis a local signing at the Champaign Public Library and a couple of schools and I got to interact with him at the school appearance. We were contacted to sell books at both and were set up in the school library and he came in there first, before going to the gym for the assembly. We talked a few minutes and he bought a couple of his books to give away. He was a super nice guy and an ex-teacher; so, he was really interested in getting kids to read, beyond just his book sales. he also talked about trying to sell novels, while teaching and he had a few mysteries, before he hit it big and could give up teaching, for writing.

Met Tamora Pierce, who writes YA fantasy novels with female protagonists, at another library event. She was a hoot. She started out speaking to the crowd very haltingly, like she was nervous with public speaking. She spoke softly and would have little coughs and excuse herself and you could see the crowd react to the awkward situation. Then she started speaking more confidently and in a more animated fashion and then the audience realized it had been an act and started laughing. She then talked for a while and answered questions, then signed books. She had two events and she came over and spent some time with us, in between. During her talk, she mentioned being a fan of Colleen Wing and Misty Knight, from Power Man and Iron Fist, and of Don McGregor's work and I brought that up. We ended up talking about McGregor and 70s non-superhero adventure comics and positive female chaarcetrs. We complimented her gimmick and she said she had another bit she did, where she was the flowery, artsy type, where everything is "extraordinary" and flounced around and we got her to do it for the second group, which was a big hit. She was really cool and another who genuinely cared about getting kids to read (and not just her work). She had also just done the White Tiger mini-series, at Marvel, with a female version of the character, but spoke very poorly of the experience and the attitude of the editors, at Marvel. She had a scene where the character fights someone and the artist drew the male antagonist straddling her, in a very "rapey" pose and she objected to the staging and the implication and the editors blew her off. She basically cut ties with them and refused to work on a sequel or anything else for Marvel.

We also hosted Laurel K Hamilton for a signing; but, she had security guards around her and had all of these contractual "needs," and her crowd was a rather odd bunch, which explained the need for security. Seemed kind of sad. Another manager I knew in one of the St Louis stores had had signings with her and wasn't a fan, mostly for the weird following she drew and the hassle of accommodating her demands. She made a crack about how she really looked vs the photo on her books (which looked about 10 years younger and thinner). I didn't get to interact with Hamilton; so, I had no opinion. I think she found herself with a following of people who had problems with reality and the rest of it was necessary to keep her safe.

That other manager hosted multiple signings, since they had the largest store in the St Louis batch and got to meet most of the big names. She said the one author who was a real treat was Mary Higgins Clark. Said she looked better than her author photo and was just the nicest, most down-to-earth person. The publisher would provide her with an assistant; but, she'd just have them drop her off at the front of the store, while they parked and then would just go in and introduce herself. Other authors ran the flunkies into the ground. Said she was fantastic with her fans and the booksellers.

On the comic side, I met Joe Staton, in Atlanta and chatted a little, while he sketched Captain Marvel for me (the real one). He's a bit on the shy side, as am I; so, it wasn't exactly an animated session. We both paused when Marina Sirtis, of Star Trek next Gen walked past, on her way to a talk. She was wearing a dress with a short hemline and heels and we both had to wipe off the drool. Beautiful woman, in person, and a wicked sense of humor that the series never really got to showcase. Also got to meet Wayne Vanzant, who had his book Battle Group Peiper, out from Caliber and had done work for DC and Marvel's The Nam. I talked to him for a few minutes; but, he was being pestered by two guys from a WW2 re-enactor group, who were decked out in SS gear and seemed a little too into it, for my comfort and I moved on. I got the impression they didn't think the SS were a bunch of murderers and rapists. Bob Burden was also there; but, I hadn't really read any of the Flaming Carrot, yet and this was before the Mystery Men movie. Also there was Terry Collins, who was doing some writing for Millennium and a couple of others and took part in a panel about adapting movies and tv to comics and vice versa, since he was writing Doc Savage. he had Philip Jose Farmer's "biography" of Doc with him, which was the first time I saw it ( had read the Tarzan one, as a teenager, at the library). I soon hunted down my own copy.

Met Tom Lyle at a little con in Augusta, GA and he was super cool. He did a sketch of Sgt Strike, from the Stryke! series, at Eclipse, with Chck Dixon. He had been drawing Starman, at DC, for just under a year (I think) at that point.

At a Heroes Con, I met Gil Kane, who signed a copy of THUNDER Afgents and remarked he hadn't seen one in years. He flipped through it to see if he had done an interior story; but, he had only done the cover. I had two issues at home, with his stories (Raven and Menthor); but, hadn't known he was going to be there and didn't bring them. I picked up that issue at the con. I talked for a few moments with Tom & Mary Bierbaum , who were writing Legion of Super Heroes (the whole Legion office was there, including Keith Giffin) and they were really nice. Giffen crash for a minute to make a joke, then went over to the DC booth. I watched a Navy recuriter bring a bunch of stuff to the booth for Julie Schwartz to sign, including the surprise issue they did, where he was inserted into the story. The guy was a real fan and Schwartz was very nice to the guy. Dick Giordano was there; but, I didn't get a chance to talk to him and he was hard of hearing, which made for some awkward interactions with fans. Talked with Dave Dorman, about the Kubert School, while he signed a copy of my Aliens hardocer book, where he had done cover and internal illustrations. I had applied and been accepted there; but was having trouble swinging the tuition (no GI Bill eligibility and I wasn't keen on accumulating a lot of student loan debt, with a degree already).

I met Doug Rice, twice, at small conventions in Springfield, IL and spent quite a while talking to him, as he sketched for me. The first time, we were talking about Manhunter, as he sketched Mark Shaw for me, while I was asking about the design details and his inspirations. He got the ideas for the Japanese hero show, Kamen Rider, as well as the general look of the costumes from those shows and the Super Sentai shows that spawned the Power Rangers. He steered me into that world and I ended up picking up a couple of tapes from a dealer who had Japanese stuff and ordered a couple more from him and some from another dealer. Rice remmbered me the next year and he sketched Pvt Pomru, a feline character from Dynamo Joe, while we talked several subjects. i went to pay for the sketch and he told me it was on him; that he enjoyed talking to me. I thanked him profusely. Also met Clarke Hawbaker and Len Strazewski at that same con, both of whom were great to talk to and then met Steve Lieber, who was drawing Hawkman and talked with him about the Kubert School and Kubert';s influence on his style. Another super-nice guy.