A visit with Jasper Fforde

August 3rd, a little over a month ago, Samantha and I went to the nearby Barnes & Nobles to meet Jasper Fforde. He is the author of the Thursday Next books and the Nursery Crime books, and is who I've been reading the most of lately. He gave an entertaining talk about his books and his writing, and seemed friendly and approachable. I think he enjoys writing and probably hatches ideas faster than he can put them to paper. One memorable response to a question was when he was asked what he reads. He said he reads anything and everything - enjoys fiction and nonfiction, classics to current bestsellers, is constantly making his way through something, and called "genre" the measles of literature.

Samantha and I had to wait in line for over an hour to get our items signed. After waiting in line for a while, Samantha asked me if we looked like the rest of the people in line. I looked at the others waiting with us, a rather bookish group. Yes Samantha, we do look like the rest of the people here I admitted with a bit of a failed smile on my face.

After about ninety minutes we reach the signing table, and Fforde was still as friendly as when he came in. He took a nice smiling picture with Sam, signed all of our books, and even chatted a bit. I expected after 90 minutes of sitting and signing books its easy to be a little surly, but everything was very pleasant, the way you hope your favorite authors should be.

I am slowly sipping my way through his latest book, a Thursday Next novel titled First Amoung Sequels. Its a bit zany, whacky, and nutty, but that's what I was hoping for.