Hi everyone!
Thanks for coming by! (The giveaway Rafflecopter is at the end…)
So it’s the end of the year when we look back and try to remember the good times and learn from the not so good. But I wanted to share the night I got to meet one of my literary idols.
I should probably mention how I got started writing. I was actually a classically trained singer. I’d performed in operas and musical theater and had musical ambitions, but during a sales trip for work, I was running through the San Diego airport and grabbed a paperback from one of the stores. It was called TALE OF THE BODY THIEF by Anne Rice.
At that point in time, I had no idea it was from a series. I enjoyed horror very much, saw there was a vampire and that was that. I devoured the book on the airplane, and was hungry for more. When I got home, I tracked down the beginning of the series and read all of them. From then on I bought the Vampire Chronicles in hard cover because I couldn’t wait for the paperback editions to come out.
And eventually I met other Anne Rice fans and we started writing our own vampires. I ended up writing every night, just for fun, all because I was so inspired by Anne Rice’s writings.
Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to meet Ray Bradbury and Dean Koontz, but the closest I ever came to meeting Anne Rice was standing outside of her house in the garden district of New Orleans with my friends. Her limo was parked outside with the license plate “Rice 01” and we each took turns laying under the front tire waving our arms for crazy photos.
So back to this month. I was the Programs Chair for my San Diego RWA chapter, and when the opportunity arose to partner up with our local downtown library to bring in Anne Rice during her most recent book tour, I jumped in with both feet. Yes, I was WAY out of my comfort zone dealing with publicists, TV News, etc. but it was all worth it, the second I got to hug the woman who first inspired me to sit at the keyboard and dream…
Here’s some of the highlights from the evening with Anne & Christopher Rice:
It was a rainy San Diego night, but that didn’t keep the readers away. We had a line started an hour before the doors opened and the auditorium was packed! J
And
I found one of my own readers in line too! And she made me the most beautiful Christmas Ornament stuffed with lines from my book, NIGHT ANGEL!!!
How cool is that??? J
Before the event got underway KUSI news interviewed Anne and Christopher Rice live!
Then it was showtime! And I got to introduce Anne & Christopher Rice… Such an amazing moment! 
Here’s a little clip….
If you’ve never read Christopher Rice’s books, you’re missing out! He mixes just the right amount of mystery, thriller and romantic heat! I highly recommend, THE SURRENDER GATE.
Had such a blast with him!
My daughter, Panda, was my assistant that night. I couldn’t have done it without all her help… 
And this is my favorite photo of the night…. Me and Anne!
It’s always risky meeting someone who has been such a huge inspiration, because you hope they’re as amazing in person as you’ve built them up to be in your head… I’m happy to report that Anne was so sweet and insightful. I’m VERY grateful I got to finally meet her.
And yes, I confessed about laying under her limo in New Orleans! LOL She laughed and told me people used to love her dogs and stole their dog tags all the time.
Hope you enjoyed all the pics!
I also have a new book out this month…. LEGEND OF LOVE!
The Prophecy – “Every generation the nine daughters of Zeus are reborn, and with their rebirth are also nine Guardians. They will be marked by the gods, and given gifts to protect his treasure. Their 
abilities will only be unlocked when they find their muse.”
Callie O’Connor’s life has never been the same since the Muse of Epic Poetry came alive inside of her. Now she’s on the other side of the country, working as civilian psychologist for the Navy, and leading her Muse sisters in their quest to reopen the Theater of the Muses.
But nothing could have prepared her for Hunter Armstrong. He’s a Navy SEAL, driven, confident, and dangerous. And he plans to do more than just protect her.
The gods couldn’t have picked a better Guardian. But as Hunter soon discovers, Callie has some skeletons of her own in the closet, and loving her could lead to his destruction.
From my family to yours, I hope your holiday season is bright! Thanks for coming by my blog! You can enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below, and don’t forget to hop through the rest of the blogs for more goodies!
May 2017 be our Best Year Yet!
Lisa 🙂
I met Marie Lu at a book signing. She was so nice and anwered my questions about the book. I even got to take a picture with her! 😀
That’s so cool! I love hearing good stories about authors! 🙂
No I haven’t. I would love to meet you though. Lol
I meet Charlie Daniels when I was six. But I really didn’t care at the time he was standing between the bathroom and myself. Meeting some of my favorite authors would be nice.
Dee Snyder at an opening at the Rock Hall this past fall. My eldest kid creates and builds the exhibits.
I have not met one of my idols and since they are from another country they would be very difficult to meet.
I haven’t met any of my idols and I am so jealous that you got to spend time with Anne Rice. She is one of my favourite authors and one of my biggest idols. Thank you.
I’ve met different famous authors decades ago.
I was working press for a convention and has the great honor (and pleasure) of escorting Francis Ford Coppola to the green room. It was great! This was 1992 and he was already excited about how digital cameras were going to make everybody a filmmaker – he was certainly right!
I have not met anyone I would say was an idol, but I have met several authors who I adore and love their books.
I would love to meet Dean Koontz. He is the one (well his writing) that sparred my loved of reading. He scared me, captured me and inspired me to keep reading. I haven’t met him yet but maybe some day I will.
I would love to meet Sherrilyn Kenyon and Christine Feehan.
I don’t really have an idol, sorry!
mia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
No, never met a idol. I think that I would like to meet with Patrick Dempsey.
I’d love to meet Elizabeth Warren and chat with her over lunch.
I met Nora Roberts years ago when I worked at a bookstore, and was invited to an event with Ms. Roberts at the Ritz Carlton in Kansas City. It was amazing! Not that many people attended (!), so we got to chat with her and the very cute rep from Simon & Schuster. Good times!
I met Deidra Hall, the star of Days Of Our Lives. She was signing autographs.
Well I met McLean Stevenson once, as he is from the same town I lived in during my school years. He had come back to visit his parents. His father is a doctor and McLean was going on rounds with his father at the hospital I was volunteering at. This was when he was playing Lt. Henry Blake on MASH. Not that he’s an idol of mine, just a celeb, 🙂
I’ve never met any of my idols altho I did see several in person at Sci-Fi conventions when I was younger.
I’d love to meet my favourite actor Leonardo Di Caprio <3
No I haven’t even met any celebrity much less my idol.
I have never met any of my idols. I came close to meeting Paula Dean, but it was storming that day and they cut the book signing short. I wasn’t close to even getting in the door of the store. :(. I would absolutely LOVE to meet Shelly Laurenston, Celia Kyle, and Milly Taiden.
I would love to meet John Piper in person.
Back in the heavy metal /hair band days – I met several rock bands from Poison to Great White . Loads of fun those days were .
I’ve met a number of my favorite authors – Christopher Moore, Tim Dorsey, Keri Arthur & Darynda Jones. They were all very nice.
I haven’t met any of my idols..honestly I would love to meet Bell Hooks, I think she would be amazing to talk to.
I have met both Meg Cabot and Richelle Mead at book signings and it was amazing to meet some of my favorite authors.
I would love to meet J.A. Huss! A celebrity I’d love to meet would be Pierce Brosnan!
I had the honor of meeting Jane Goodall once. She is really amazing!
I have not met any of my idols yet. I’m rather shy and would not know how I will act or what will I say or don’t say when faced with any of them.
i haven’t met any but would like meet Colleen Hoover!!
I met a member of a band that I adored. I was a fool. I just looked up into his brown eyes and starred. I couldn’t form words. So embarrassing.
Yes i met Taylor swift in a contest i won with my 12 year old. it was a meet and greet. real amazing
I met Kresley Cole several years ago at a book signing, and she’s a blast!
I’ve never met one of my idols. I’d love to meet Ellen!
I’d love to meet Ellen one day!
My latest *squee* moment was at NOLA Storycon this past September– getting a picture with Charlaine Harris and Jeaniene Frost, hanging out with Beverly Jenkins, having brunch at Kevin Hearne’s table and meeting Ilona Andrews….absolutely awesome event!
No I haven’t. I don’t have any idol other than Jesus Christ.
I met Johnny Depp in 1991..I was 24. I was working at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles. I was late coming back to work and was running through the mall. My sunglasses flew off my head and someone bent down to pick them up for me…It was Johnny…I couldn’t say anything, I was tongue tied! I did get a thank you out, and he smiled, winked at me and walked on…
I haven’t met any. I’d like to meet Meryl Streep.
Thanks for the contest.
slehan at juno dot com
Yes I did I went backstage and Met the group Air Supply ! I listened to them all the time when I was growing up ! Russell Hitchcock was so sweet and so nice, an amazing person. When I went up to get me CD signed over an hour after the show. He told me that he saw me singing his songs. I was in the second row . It was so great to be acknowledged .He was so great !!!
I attended my first writer’s conference in 2016 and was amazed at how open and welcoming the well known authors are. And how much we had in common!
I met mc chris once 🙂 he was nice, but it was busy after a concert so it didn’t go like I dreamed lol 🙂
I would love to meet Kathy Bates and Amy Tan
Never met a fav celebrity but would like to meet Bruno Mars
I have met a few of my idols. I don’t create any more fantasies, as they are real people too.