Meeting Meg Cabot

Lauren, me (in the middle), and Hannah with Meg Cabot !

Can you say BEST DAY EVER? I've been a fan of Meg Cabot since I was, like, 10. No joke. I grew up on The Princess Diaries and then proceeded to spend the entirety of my adolescence reading every book she's ever written. I swear, they kept me sane. They also turned me into a writer. I credit Meg with helping me become the writer I am today. Ever since reading her books, I've been inspired to write my own. Her style helped me hone my own. It was truly beyond an honor to meet her. Our conversation went something like this:

Me (fumbling with my book as I struggle to contain my excitement): Hi!
Meg (glancing down at the book I've basically thrown at her): Hello! You must be (looks down at yellow post-it affixed to the cover of said book) Andrea!
Me (choking on my saliva): That's me!
Meg (signing book with a flourish): Thanks so much for coming out!
Me (deciding on word vomit rather than star-struck silence): Oh my gosh it's such an honor to meet you I've been reading your books forever and someday I hope to be a writer too and it's all because of you I hope you get a chance to read what I write someday because I don't know if I mentioned it but I became a writer because I read your books and I just loved them I think you're awesome

[I pause for a breath]

Meg (with a poise that only comes from encountering crazies like me all the time): That's wonderful! Thank you so much! I hope to someday read something you write!
Me (finally stunned into awed silence): Thank you so much!

Yeah, something like that. She really is awesome, though. And I swear, I'm a completely normal person. I was just SO EXCITED. Ask my friends (check out their awesome blogs here and here). I've known those two girls less than 6 weeks, and they tolerate me better than most people I've known my whole life. Totally made friends for life.

And Meg? One of the highlights of my time here in New York. I'm serious about getting published someday, and I'm completely honest about her being the reason I hope to do so. She's a rockstar. And I hope, one day, she really will read something I write.