Meeting A Celebrity

So in America, not many people get to meet celebrities if we don't have a special talent or aren't famous or don't get noticed by extreme publicity, or don't date a celebrity, or don't make movies or do something crazy like that. If you are really lucky, just maybe you'll see one in NYC strolling around or anywhere, really...airports, grocery stores, big events, political stuff, fundraisers, etc...but that never happens to me. I have only seen celebrities from a distance, and it has been musicians, and it has been because it was a scheduled event (i.e. concert). So I didn't really "meet" them, i just "saw" them. But even so, its pretty cool saying you are at least in the same breathing space as them.

I have "seen" Muse, Matchbox Twenty, Train, Rob Thomas (w/o MB20), Jewel, Alanis Morrissette...

But today I "met" famous bestselling author Jodi Picoult! I have "seen" her before at a bookfair in Washington D.C. by complete surprise, and also saw John Irving and Nicholas Sparks (dreamy!). But met none of them.

Before meeting a celebrity, or even going to a concert of theirs, if you're anything like me, you hype yourself up. "Oh my god, I'm going to meet them. I'm going to be in the same room. I'm going to actually SEE them. They are going to be right there! Ah!" In writing, it sounds a lot more creepy than it actually is, but you know what I mean. Then, when you finally do see them, (depending on the celebrity) at first its like OHMYGOD ITS REALLY THEM but then you calm down and actually listen to what they are singing/talking about. And then after an hour or so of being in the same breathing room as them (such as today), you realize they are actually just another real human being after all. Just like you and me except a lot of people know that same person. Like, 35 other countries know Jodi's name and books.

I don't know if this happens to you, but it happens to me. When I'm talking to a celebrity or standing close to them, or really close to them at a concert, I keep my cool. In my head, i'm like, I can't seem to grasp the fact that I am actually standing right next to a celebrity. But they are so normal, so its not that astounding. But it is a celebrity. This is huge. Why aren't I freaking out?  And then an hour after we leave, I'm all like Oh my god I met Jodi Picoult. Why didn't I take more pictures?????

We also had a chance to ask her questions, and for the life of me I could not think of a single good question. I am a writer. I have been since I was 5. I have novels half written, I have short stories everywhere....I am a writer for petes sake and I couldn't think of any good questions. And then at home I thought of at least five really good one's. Oh well. But anyway, She is a really good speaker and I really enjoyed meeting her! And I even got a picture and an autographed book, of her new book "Sing You Home" which I have started reading and it is excellent so far!

Pictures:

Jodi reading passage from new book "Sing You Home"

Signed my book! Personalized, too.

Getting ready to sign.

I brought House Rules with me to get signed, because thats my best book I have from her that survived me reading it. :)

One thing I thought was really astonishing....she mentioned at the end that she couldn't believe that every single day, there were people out there that actually wanted to read what she had to write. You could hear in the audience a plethora of small chuckles and astonishment because everyone was thinking the same thing in their head, "OF COURSE WE DO!!!! YOU ARE AMAZING!" I wonder if all writers feel like that....I know if I ever get published big time, I will be astonished that people actually want to read my books....I wonder if Meyer and Rowling feel like that too? Hmm..funny.


I have about six or seven blogs on my "to-write" list, so you can probably expect a blog every day this week....I hope this excites you, rather than makes you groan. Thanks for reading!!

~WNB