What would you do if you met Diane Duane??

[Kathy Li]

But what would you do, if she replied, "Oh you're that one...! I remember you!" Because y'know, it's not like she doesn't read the forums or show up in chat and stuff.

gigo35: That's a good idea. I could just bring a stack of YW boooks for her to sign. But I have so many other things in my DD collection...!

[Wizard Girl]

My brain would probably turn to mush. Then I'd ask her to sign my books.

[Dragon Writer]

well, when you say meet, does it meen in person exactly? cause i already MET her in CHAT....when i still had chat. not that it would stop me from fainting, mind you, waking up, and doing it for another ten minutes, just for good measure, but still! it might take it down a notch from the hour it might have been toehrwise. *Grins* unless she rememembers me from the conversation, in which case i'ts up too two. (kidding! not THAT big a fan, and i've met authors before!) but i STILL would be shellshocked as always... (note, i'm not big enough a fan to faint for the first time in my life upon meeting ANYONE for anyone)(at least, i HGOPE not...it would be kinda embarresing! and an end to conversation, in all likelyhood. *Grins*)

[Rubywolf]

I'm assuming 'meet' as in person. Not 'meet' as animal carcasses that people eat. In the mean time, I honestly think that I wouldn't make such a big deal about it. She's really nice, writes well, but she's not a goddess from Jupiter. At least, I hope not.

[spyells]

If I met Diane Duane I would probably stare at first just to see if I'm tripping or imagining it. Then I would go up to her and ask. Maybe I would ask for an autograph and then I would probably ask her when her next book will be finished.

But really when it comes down to it, I have no idea how I would act if I met a famous author or actor or something. Especially if I really liked their work.

[Dragon Writer]

you know, i just realized, despite everything that i've said in this...if i met her anywhere other then a booth saying "this is Diane Duane. right here, right now, this is her! the one we're pointing at, and you are about to talk to, right now, is her!" i probably wouldn't recognize her, and just talk...and then, once i found out...THEN iw ould faint. *imagines it would be something like recent experiance friend had* i'd go into the details, but i already tried that...it went on and on, so now i'm editing.

[EricG1793]

Originally posted by mythbusterfan:
I'd probably just stand like an idiot and stare. Because I have never met an author of any kind in my entire life. and i'd ask for an autograph

That's a perfect description of what I would do.

I would certainly stare. I'd be like, "Wait, that could be anybody, what would some random person who wasn't DD think if I ran up to her and said, 'Could I have your autograph, DD? Please? I never expected you to ever been anywhere near where I live, and you are now, and you may not ever bee ever again, so could you do it PLEASE?' and I'd get a either a blank stare back, a back turned on me, a screaming at, or a good whacking with a pocketbook or other harmful heavy object that a woman may be carrying".

If I saw other people staring at her and swarming her, I'd patiently and politely work my way up to her and say my user name on Youngwizards.net is EricG1793, I read SYWTBAW in early 2006, I like each book more than the last, can't wait until the next one comes out, query about how her cats are doing, etc.

However, if she was actually at a book signing, etc. near me, I'd observe people who were there also (aside from having the brief conversation I listed in the last section) and wonder if they were members here at Youngwizards.net.... Although for personal security I don't think I'd tell people who I thought may be a member here what my username is... that wouldn't be very smart and may lead to some... ah... issues. What I'd do was start a thread where people can talk about if they were at the signing and what they were doing....

[Kathy Li]

Well, we could also work out some kind of secret handshake or something to identify each other by. Or, more simply, just wear t-shirts from DD's Cafepress.

I'd also recommend finding a picture of DD and listening to the WizCast. That will probably help you from misidentifying the wrong person as Our Beloved Author, if ever you should be at a SF con. Also, SF cons are geat for those of us with no name memories: everybody has to wear a name badge.

And get to a booksigning or two! They're fun!!

[Birdhead]

Also, SF cons are great for those of us with no name memories: everybody has to wear a name badge.

I had a moment of imagining what a truly effective badge would look like. "Hi, my name is [TUI] but you may also know me as [BIRDHEAD] from [THE YOUNG WIZARDS FORUMS, JOURNALFEN, AND EARLY NET EXPERIENCES, SO SORRY] or [LABELLEMENTEUSE] from [LIVEJOURNAL]..."

I think you'd soon run out of space in those little laminated clippy things.

On the other hand, a secret handshake would be <i>awesome.</i> I've always kind of wanted a secret handshake. Ideally, it should be something performable over very large oceans, so we can all play...

[Garrett Fitzgerald]

Actually, I've always been partial to:

Hello, my name is...

INIGO MONTOYA
YOU KILLED MY FATHER
PREPARE TO DIE

*grin*

[Dragon Writer]

the princess bride? *wants to reread it, and has it checked out and at home already* i hardly remember it...though the movie (seem recently for the first time all lthe way through that i can rmemeber) was brilliant...
and i'd prefer the secret handshake thank you very much. :P and why would i want to recognize her? if i recognized her, i'd most likely faint...If i DIDN"T recongnize her i could just faint later when it didn't matter any more since i'd already talked to her. (later preferably being when i glanced down at something she had autographed. :P) i could barely TALK last time i saw an author of a book i liked. (which was also the first time) don't need a repeat! (i shouldn't have even been able to see THAT author, i don't think, since i didn't have my own copy of the book...but there ARE benefits to having the school librarian like you. :P)

[Kathy Li]

Originally posted by Garrett Fitzgerald:
Actually, I've always been partial to:

Hello, my name is...

INIGO MONTOYA
YOU KILLED MY FATHER
PREPARE TO DIE

*grin*

You and Mike Ford. I heard about the story where the weekend the movie opened, and they were all at a Con, and Mike rushed out, bought those "Hello, My Name is..." tags, and filled them in with the Princess Bride quote.

I used to think that was the coolest name badge ever, until I saw Len Wein wearing one of these. Now, I just wait for the t-shirt. I mean, if they can make this....

Personally, instead of a secret handshake, we could identify each other by just greeting with a "dai" or "dai stiho". "Dai stiho, hrasht" might be overkill, though.

As for the nerves thing--practice practice practice. Go to lots of booksignings. I mean, hell, I've been able to talk to Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, and Dorothy Dunnett, only because I've met scads of authors through booksignings. They're really cool people, but still just people, and insanely approachable. They like talking to people who like what they write, usually (Harlan Ellison--well--good luck).

[Rhi]

Wow, that shirt's awesome Pretty Lights! Okay, I'll calm down and actually talk about the topic Yep, I think "dai stiho" is the way to go (hee hee that rhymes XD) And I don't think I can even pronounce "hrasht", so no worries about that But a secret handshake would be fun...

[DameRuth]

Being concise, I'd try not to squee (after all, I've been a fan since I was 13, kinda hard *not* to), tell her how much I enjoy her books, and offer to buy her a beer or another beverage of choice.

Not very exciting, but 'tis the honest answer.

-- Ruth

[Garrett Fitzgerald]

DameRuth, may I just say how much I adork your avatar? :-)

I just checked, and you can actually fit "Hello, my name is..." 3 times on that badge and still have room at the end for "STOP SAYING THAT!"

I need more practice with booksignings: when I had the chance to get Lois Bujold to sign A Civil Campaign, I couldn't even think to say that I had signed Butterbug One before it was lost. When I got The Way Things Work