Hug an Author Blog hop

Hey everyone! Our good friend Marissa over at Many to Read Before I Sleep asked us to join in on the Hug an Author Blog Hop and we couldn’t say no but, we also had a hard time narrowing it down to one or two authors. So we picked a few questions and answered you will notice a trend as the authors we wanted to showcase and Hug the most are Jeri Smith-Ready, Melissa Marr, Julie Kagawa, and Maria V. Snyder! So onto the questions and our answers! Oh and keep reading there's a giveaway at the bottom ;)

Who was your favorite author when you were a child? A teen? During your 20s? As an adult?

Jaime-I didn’t read much when I was a kid but when I did it was Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, and C.S. Lewis. As a teen my tastes were pretty eclectic I was one of those kids who actually enjoyed reading Shakespeare in class and I hated Harper Lee but mostly I read anything and everything Anne Rice and L.J. Smith. I didn’t read at all in my 20’s I was too busy partying and staying out late I know I’m sooo bad. Now I guess you can call me an adult at 35? ;) I have too many to name but there are three that I read everything they write Jeri Smith-Ready, Melissa Marr, and Maria V. Snyder.

Patricia- I had many favorite authors as a kid such as EB. White (Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little), Robert C. O'Brien (Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM) and Judy Blume (Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing) to name just a few.

As a teen I also loved to read but I seemed to have gotten stuck in rut. I was too eclectic to name any single author. In my early twenties I had very young kids and sadly didn't have as much time to read as I would've liked but one author that there for most of my 20's was JK Rowling and of course her iconic series Harry Potter.

As an adult I feel like I have a much better grasp of what authors I enjoy. Of course I am just loving YA (mainly paranormal/urban fantasy) but I also love a good legal drama such as books by John Grisham. Back to YA, there are so many that I just adore: Jeri Smith-Ready, Julie Kagawa, Melissa Marr, Rachel Vincent, Richelle Mead, Cassandra Clare and JK Rowling just to name a few.

Which author wrote the character you would want as your best friend?

Jaime- Julie Kagawa! I want Puck as my best friend!

Patricia- Hmm...this is a tough one. There are so many great characters out there but right now I am going to have to go with Rose Hathaway from Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series. I am reading this series right now and it is AWESOME!! Not only am I totally loving this series but Jaime and I will be defending Rose in the YA Heroine Tourney hosted by the YA Sisterhood Blog.

Is there an author you've met or attended their signing? Who would you give your right arm to see?

Jaime- I’ve met a lot of authors being in Northern California and close to San Francisco we have some cool signings. I’ve also been to the Romantic Times Convention and I plan on going in 2012 too. So just to name a few I’ve met Cassie Clare, Richelle Mead, Melissa Marr, Jeri Smith-Ready, Rachel Vincent, Adrian Phoenix, and Rachel Hawkins.

Patricia- I have been fortunate enough to attend a few signings now and they have all been fantastic! I have met Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Melissa Marr, Michelle Hodkin, Becca Fitzpatrick, Sarwat Chadda and Rachel Hawkins. They have all been out of this world amazing.

I would give my right arm to meet J.K. Rowling. I would love to pick the brain of one of the most influential and amazing authors this world has ever seen.

Is there an author who brought you back/to reading?

Jaime- Honestly? Stephenie Meyer if it hadn’t been for Twilight I probably wouldn’t have started reading again. And now I know there’s soo many better books and writers out there ;)

Patricia- Not really, I've always been a reader. There's been times in my life that I've been more devoted to it than others but I've always read even if it was just ten minutes before bed. However, since I'm currently reading YA I think that I would say that Cassandra Clare had a big part in me leaning towards that genre. I picked up City of Bones at my local library and loved it so much I went back to look for more books like it, sadly book two was not out yet but I found tons of great finds and I continue to do so. Jaime has also been very instrumental in pointing out reads that I didn't even know existed.

Who is the author that created a world so vivid you were actually lost after it was over? i.e. Book hangover from hell.

Jaime- Suzanne Collins and not because I wanted to live there but after reading Mockingjay I literally did not pick up another book for a week. That series messed with my mind!

Patricia- Again, I have to point out Harry Potter but also Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series! If you haven't read The Iron Fey series...run, don't walk to your nearest bookstore or library and pick it up.

The one author that's mere presence would bring you tears of joy?

Jaime- That author is sadly dead but I would have loved to meet Jane Austen she was such a visionary in her time. Another one would have to be Ursula K Le Guin she is a pioneer in the Sci-Fi genre that has been mostly populated with men.

Patricia- Seriously...I am going to have to start sounding like a broken record but JK Rowling is at the top of that list for me. But I think I would also have tears of joy and lots of embarrassing fan girling if I was ever in the presence of the awesome-tastic Jeri Smith-Ready. I've "met" her on twitter and she is one of the most gracious, nicest and sweetest people ever.

What is your best memory of an author signing (meeting)?

Jaime- Best memory? That’s easy meeting Jeri Smith-Ready! I had read her books and we had formed a friendship on Facebook and twitter I even sent her a postcard from Forks when I was on vacation which she tells me she uses as a bookmark. Well I got to meet her at last year’s Romantic Times Convention in LA and she was just as awesome in person we actually got to hang out for a good amount of time at the Teen party she is just the sweetest J Also I got to meet Adrian Phoenix there who I have also become friends with we even had dinner together.

Patricia- I think that my best memory was the first signing I ever attended. I'd never been and Jaime asked me if I wanted to go. I honestly didn't know what to expect and I was feeling a bit nervous the whole time. But as soon as the authors started to speak I was enthralled. They were super funny, sweet and totally approachable. Who did I meet you ask? Well, it was Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall) and Sarwat Chadda (Billie San Greal)! I would love to go to another signing with either one or both of them.

So what did you all think? Were some of your favorite authors mentioned here? We’d love to know which authors you’d like to hug. Comment and let us know! We’ll give away some swag packs to 5 lucky people with signed bookmarks from Jeri Smith-Ready and other authors we love! Make sure to leave us your e-mail address!!!