All About Animals discussion

What authors have you met in person? Any author about any book?

Since it's about any author I have met...

Tawni O'Dell (She signed three of her books for me. I got to also see her where she was talking about her book/s.)
Richard Simmons (got him to sign a cook book)
Lee W. Merideth (wrote "1912 Facts about the Titanic")


One of my other book groups that meet in real life, there have been a few that have called into our group.

Debbie Macomber
Denise Hunter

(I will have to look up the others that have called in. It's been awhile since we had one do a conference call.)

Janet Bennett

I am so proud to be able to say, I have met Richard Adams in person. He wrote Watership Down (rabbits) and Plague Dogs - a book which was a wonderful story about dogs bur which also had a powerful message about the horrors of animal testing in laboratories.
He came here to New Zealand many years ago and I went to meet him in Auckland. I bought Plague Dogs that night and he signed it for me and and had a short conversation with me, of which I can still remember every word after all these years.

Jennifer wrote: "Janet Bennett"



Forgot to mention that Janet Bennett is the author of the book: Travels with Max: How My Dog Unleashed my Life, which is about her rescue dog, a yellow Labrador called Max. I also got to meet Max, who is a very nice dog. Travels With Max is only available in paperback book format and a sequel to Travels with Max is in the works from her.

She helped me publish my own book, and is also now my book manager. Strangely enough it wasn't me that met her first, it was my Grandma and it was at a friend's garage sale. My Grandma then learned that she was a local author and was interested in my work.

I can't remember if I have ever met any other authors or not although I think there may have been one or two when I was younger.

Tui wrote: "I am so proud to be able to say, I have met Richard Adams in person. He wrote Watership Down (rabbits) and Plague Dogs - a book which was a wonderful story about dogs bur which also had a powerful ..."

That's really cool, I like Richard Adams' work. Although I have only ever read Watership Down I own Plague Dogs and have been planning on reading it for over a year now, but keep checking out books from the library instead of reading books I own.

A lot of people disagree with me but I thought Plague Dogs was even better than Watership Down. I love it. You have a treat in store.

Until I read your post Barbara, I had forgotten - I also met Richard Simmons. He was on a cruise I was on. I also met Lynn Toler, the judge from Divorce Court - she was promoting her book in Syracuse and spoke to the group in Barnes and Noble - she was a great speaker and her personality came through!

Jami wrote: "Until I read your post Barbara, I had forgotten - I also met Richard Simmons. He was on a cruise I was on. I also met Lynn Toler, the judge from Divorce Court - she was promoting her book in Syra..."

Hi, Jamie--you just jogged my memory.

I met Maya Angelou as she was (literally--or should I say 'literarily') holding court at a Barnes & Noble store in San Diego. When a little tyke came up to her and addressed her as "Maya," she set him straight that, at his age, he at least call her Ms. Angelou (I loved it); the mother simply gaped.

I also met Frances Mayes after a lecture on her "Under the Tuscan Sun." Delightful lady. I bought her other book and since then, there is always that little stone-house with the red roof waiting for me in Tuscany. (At the moment, its only a print by the 16th century Dutch printmaker G. van Utens who lived there.)

And then (if that counts), there was a well-known Del Mar literary agent who told me "for heaven's sake, don't send me anything literary!"

Sign of the times.

Those are awesome memories, Inge!

When I lived in El Paso, Texas, I read a book by Jeanne Williams and wrote her a letter telling her how much I had enjoyed it. She sent a nice note saying thanks. Then a few years later I moved to Douglas, Arizona. There was a meet the author event downtown one day and there she was....she lives in Portal which is about an hour's drive north of Douglas. It was quite interesting to talk with her in person and I still enjoy her books, especially now when I feel the need for a bit of desert air....many are set in Cochise County so it is like going for a visit only without the 26 hour bus trip.

my dad is an author. :) Does that count? I've been blessed to meet a ton of Michigan based writers because of him.

Susan wrote: "my dad is an author. :) Does that count? I've been blessed to meet a ton of Michigan based writers because of him."

Yes, I think that should count. Who is your dad and what has he written?

I met Brad Meltzer once at a local library fund raiser last year. I've actually never read his work but some of you may know he's pretty well published and famous. He gave a great speech to the crowd about his writing and I was even able to go up to him before the speech and have a normal conversation. Quite impressive. He didn't seem too removed from his readers nor burned out on being there to speak. Of course I have no idea if he was paid and if so, how much. Still, it was a brush with a famous writer.

I have now met many more authors. Out of the ones that I have met,two of them, Chris Lambert and Burton Cole have been my favorites though I have liked most of the authors I have met. Some of the others include, Mary R. Woldering, James A. Willis, James Renner, J. Drew Brumbaugh, Sean Forney, and others who I can't think of right now. I have been at several author expo's at local library's and an event at a bookstore where people could meet and get autographed copies from authors who were either from or wrote about Ohio in their books. Meeting authors has been a lot of fun!

Jami wrote: "Until I read your post Barbara, I had forgotten - I also met Richard Simmons. ..."

Richard Simmons seemed to be the nicest man. He came to our local Wal-Mart and never left till he was sure the very last person in line had met him.

He wore his dalmatian dog ear muffs cause it was in the winter, but when he was greeting people he had on his work out clothes.

I met Ivan Denton, who wrote "The Art of I. Denton" and also "Old Brands and Lost Trails: Arkansas and the Great Cattle Drives," as well as a whole series of children's books and several other books, and became very good friends with him and his lovely wife Rose. He passed away last year and I miss him so much. He is best known for his wood carvings, which were featured in National Geographic. They are extremely collectible and valuable, but I would never part with mine because of my history with him. He was a wonderful man.
I've also met Dusty Richards, who writes Western novels; Glen Ohrlin, who writes about Cowboy & Western music; and Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, who wrote "Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal." Bass Reeves actually worked out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, which is only about 15 miles from where I live. There is a big statue of him on his horse with his dog in downtown Ft. Smith next to the river. The local school kids also study about him using Ms. Nelson's book.

I almost met James Herriot in the early 1970's at a veterinary conference that I attended. He was the keynote speaker of the convention but was not able to come at the last minute for some reason. I can't remember exactly why, but instead, his replacement was the actor that played James Herriot in the popular BBC television series, "All Creatures Great and Small." He knew James quite well and gave a fascinating talk about Herriot's life and books. I had not been out of veterinary school very long and took to heart Herriot's "style" of practice in dealing with animals and clients. One suggestion that Herriot had was for everyone to journal their unusual cases (and clients) which I did because over time one has a tendency to forget some of the facts and aspects of the case.

My favourite author I met is my uncle Adrian V. Clark but there are quite a lot of authors in my family.

My doctor is the cousin of William F. Wu, who writes science fiction. I've never met him, but I thought he should get a mention since I've known his cousin for 15 years now. =))