As many of you already know (because I've been blabbing about it for months on social media), I'm going to be doing a book signing in November...but not just any ordinary book signing...
I'm going to be doing a book signing with Kelley Armstrong!!
Why is this a bucket list thing for me? Well, let me tell you...
Something like ten years ago (probably longer) a coworker handed me a copy of a book called Bitten and said, "Hey, Angie, I think you should read this. It's written by a Canadian author. I heard her speak at an event and she's just awesome! I think you'll like it. It's about werewolves."
So I read Bitten...and LOVED it! I immediately started looking for other books by this new-to-me author Kelley Armstrong. What I found was a forum where a bunch of Kelley lovin' people were chatting. I joined. And then I discovered that Kelley ran an online writing group (OWG) as part of the forum...so I joined that too.
I met a lot of amazing writers through that online group. Many of them I'm still friends with. Most of them have gone on to great success. I learned a lot in the years I was part of that group (unfortunately it was shut down a few years ago). Kelley would at times run contests and special events for us where she would critique our work. She was always honest which we all needed. She was also always available to help with questions we had. Her generosity and openness has been consistent throughout the years and I've had many, many opportunities to meet her, talk with her, and learn from her.
The very first time I met Kelley in person was at a book signing event she was doing at a little book store in Bolton called Forster's Book Garden. There were a number of authors there that day (one of whom was a fellow OWG member) but I was really there to see Kelley. And me being me...I completely choked up when I got the chance to talk to her. I got a copy of Bitten signed, and I totally went introvert on her and acted like a loser. (It took me a long time to NOT be star struck by her --in fact, I hope I don't make an ass of myself at our book signing but the possibility is extremely high that I will.)
Fast forward a gazillion years and here I am with a second chance at things in my own publishing world. As you all know, my previous publisher closed at the beginning of this year and I was lucky enough to get picked up by Entangled who republished all of my books. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to come full circle where Kelley is concerned so I asked her if she would do a book signing at Forster's with me...and she said YES!
So on November 25 1-4, I'll be doing a book signing with one of the most influential writers in my life. If it wasn't for Kelley I probably wouldn't have decided to get down to business writing a novel for publication. That novel got me my first agent (it has since been trunked because it's awful but it was the first open door for me)...which launched the real possibility of being an actual published author. To tell you how much this means to me really can't be done effectively in words. It really means a freakin' lot. A lot a lot. Times a thousand.
I hope to see some of you at the event. I know that it's far away for many of my readers but maybe one day I'll be able to do some more travelling and get out and about to meet more of you.
Wish me luck!
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