When I Almost Met Neil Gaiman: Part III

Eventually one of the HarperCollins people (actually she might have been an agent but I tend to get so flustered when I'm talking to new people that I didn't manage to read her badge, which would have been really helpful if I was good at networking, which I clearly am not) came over and asked for my business card so that they could send me a signed copy of one of Neil's books.

People, someone who works at HarperCollins, with Neil Gaiman asked for my business card!!!!! And what did I tell her?

"I don't have one."

And why didn't I have one? Because I was too shy and embarrassed and didn't let my talented twin sis design and print one for me until it was too late and they hadn't arrived in time.

Undaunted, the woman gave me a card and let me write down my address. My hand was shaking as I wrote. Maybe Neil will see this, I thought. I know, pretty pathetic. Please remember I was running on no water, little sleep, and half a sandwich while giving myself kidney damage at this point.

Neil signed. The line moved up. Another HarperCollins woman appeared and from what she said it sounded as if she was REALLY going to introduce me to Neil!!! It was really happening. Immediately my face flushed bright red because when I'm going to meet someone important I like to look as much like a big red balloon as possible.

I followed the woman (again, no idea what her name was as I was so flustered at this point) all the way to the front of the line. That's where she disappeared. I don't know if she thought I'd barge into the line myself or if she got distracted or if we just misunderstood one another. But there I was, face beet red and surely spotted with some charming hives, staring at Neil from a mere 3 feet away as he signed books and murmured polite things to his adoring fans. I think he even noticed me at one point and must have wondered who the strange fan girl was.

Totally mortified, I fled back to my post.

When it was all over, the first woman who had taken my address appeared with a copy of Crazy Hair. "I'm sorry, we couldn't get it signed," she apologized.

Of course I didn't mind. I'd only really wanted to meet him, after all. The line dissipated and Neil disappeared and that's all I have to show for myself.