Who would you drop everything to meet?

For the sake of keeping the list short, I'm going to focus on just authors here, because heaven knows there are tons of people I'd drop everything to meet - musicians, artists and especially the friends I've met online that I'd love to meet in real life.

But author-wise, there aren't a ton that I'd drop everything to meet. Of course, there are plenty I'd love to meet, but only about four for whom I'd stop what I was doing and change my plans in order to go get my books signed and say hi.

This is the short list: Jenny Lawson, Neil Gaiman, Charles deLint and Maggie Steifvater.

I got my chance to meet Maggie on Friday night. I was planning on staying home and hanging with my husband since he'd just returned the night before from about a month overseas. I happened to check my twitter stream and noticed that Maggie was going to be in Michigan. In Lansing, as a matter of fact - only a couple hours from me.

But when he heard that my very favorite YA author was that close, he said, "What are you still doing sitting here? Get your books and go get them signed. You've got time to make it if you leave now."

I reminded him that he just got home and he said, "You don't get to meet your favorite author every day. I'll still be here when you get back. The boys and I will do FFY for supper." (In our house FFY means Fend For Yourself, and everyone makes his or her own supper.)

I told him he was the best husband ever. And he said, "No. If I were the best husband ever, I would have volunteered to drive you down there. Instead, I'm gonna sit here and play Guildwars."

So...I grabbed all my books and the GPS, jumped in the car and took off to Lansing to meet Maggie. She was absolutely awesome and didn't mind at all that I had eleven books for her to sign. Happily, neither did the other people I was in line with. And I still stand by my best husband ever comment.

Here's Maggie signing my sister's copy of The Raven Boys. (If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for? It's flat out amazing!)