Top Ten Authors I Am Dying to Meet!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish.


Holy cow!  Today's prompt challenged me!  I mean, there are a million authors out there that I love.  But, many of my favorite authors are already dead.  I would have to literally die, or get my own bookish version of the TARDIS in order to meet them.  For the sake of this post, I tried to stick to only living authors (because my death will be a sad and heartbreaking occasion) but I paid no attention to the order of the authors after the top four.  Well, here goes nothing....


1. Neil Gaiman
I have no idea where I would be without amazing books like Coraline, Stardust, or Mr. Punch.  This man brings quite the dark and "out there" mind to stories that others dare not reach for.  Additionally, he provides students and writers of all ages with advice to continually be individuals as they make good art.

2. J. K. Rowling
Like many readers my age, Harry Potter was the magic that started it all.  This was where my obsession with all things literature truly began.  This was the first author I pre-ordered books for.  Rowling, like Gaiman, is another influential individual.  Especially when one considers her humble beginnings.

3. Clive Barker
I have always been interested in writing my own stories and being creative.  However, Abarat was the first book that really encouraged me to add extra fantastical elements to my story.

4. Cassandra Clare
Throughout college, I found myself straying away from any fun reading.  After all, I was taking close to 23 credits a semester!  Once I was done, however, it was Clare's The Mortal Instruments series that pulled me out of the black hole of booklessness.  I will forever be grateful for her help in re-finding myself.

5. Rainbow Rowell
As I remember my reading adventures, I realize that I do not remember ever setting Eleanor and Park down from the time I started it until it was over.  I was absolutely emotionally devoted to this beautiful piece.  It would be terrific to discuss writing with such a gifted author.

6. Robyn Schneider
When a student suggested that I read The Beginning of Everything, I was a little wary.  Typically, that student and I have very different tastes.  Fortunately, however, this time we agreed.  I appreciate Schneider's ability to take a difficult theme and bring it to the very forefront of the novel.

7. Gail Carriger
I am always searching for a strong, witty, and unusual female lead.  Carriger delivered this in her Finishing School series in which she also destroys race and social barriers.

8. Ally Condie
The Matched series was another book with a rather strong female lead.  I absolutely adore her writing style and look forward to seeing more from her in the future.

9. Patrick Ness
His book, A Monster Calls, provided some of the best bonding time between my sister and me. His poignant book is filled with meaningful artwork and well-chosen words.  This book's strength lies in its ability to help the audience go through the darkest of times.

10. Suzanne Collins
I love The Hunger Games.  It's another instance of a strong and well-developed female lead.  I truly admire the work that Collins put into the research required for this novel.  I think it would be amazing to discuss her process with her

Let's Chat!

Who are your favorite authors?  Who are you dying to meet?  Should we meet anyone on this list together?