Top 10 Tuesday – My Bookish Bucket List

Hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish

I found this through a post by In Libris Veritas and thought it sounded like fun, so you get a little bonus update today.  Now, several things that were on my list have already been checked off – Meet Tamora Pierce, Jonathan Maberry, Dan Wells, Seanan McGuire, and Mary Robinette Kowal.  Have a piece of my jewelry worn at the Hugo Awards (Thank you Mary Robinette Kowal!).  Have an industry professional critique some of my writing (thank you Stephanie Burgis!)  Have some of the aforementioned do signings at my bookstore.
But, I’m greedy, so there are plenty more.

1.  Get published.
This has been a goal since I was… eight maybe?  I was writing Murder on the U.S.S. Something-or-other.   I’ve forgotten the exact title, but I was writing in pencil in a composition notebook and I felt very professional.  Sadly, that book was never finished because I discovered that I’m not very good at writing mysteries.  But the dream of actually creating a book that other people could hold in their hands started then.

2.  Be a guest on the SF Squeecast.
This has to come after #1 because all the people on the SF Squeecast are industry professionals.  And sadly, bookseller doesn’t count.  The Squeecast is one of my favorite podcasts, right up there with Writing Excuses and Welcome to Night Vale.  The Squeecast is “a Two-time Hugo Award winning monthly podcast in which a group of Science Fiction  and Fantasy professionals squee about things SFnal, in a neverending panel discussion of vague positivity.”
I like things.  I like talking.  I like all of the regular contributors. Now I just need to become a SF&F professional.  Soon.

3.  Get an Angelmaker tattoo.
I am obsessed with this book.  And therefore I am obsessed with bees.  I have bee earrings, a bee nose ring, bee stationary, and an entire board devoted to Angelmaker and bees over on Pinterest.  The book has been out for two years and I’ve wanted the tattoo since I read it.  So, one of these days, I’ll actually get around to calling Aaron at Aerochild and setting up and appointment.  The tattoo will be of a clockwork bee.  It’s going to be awesome, and I’ll post a picture once I actually get it done.

LonCon 3

4.  Go to Worldcon.
Worldcon is where they give out the Hugo Awards.  Now that a piece of my jewelry has gone I would like me to go too.  And, there just seems to be so many opportunities to meet authors.  I think it would be pretty awesome.  The problems with getting me to Worldcon are thus: 1) it’s Worldcon, which means it can take place anywhere in the world.  This year, it’s going to be in London.  I can’t really swing that.  However, next year, it’s going to be in Washington.  That’s doable.  On the other hand, 2) it’s always veeery close to DragonCon, if not the exact same weekend.  That’s a huge investment in terms of financial outlay and time off work.  But, someday I’ll get there.
I am going to the World Fantasy Convention this year in D.C.  So that’s awesome.

5.  Have Jonathan Maberry do a book signing at Little Professor.
So, the problem with this is that we have a teeny, tiny budget for publicity.  By which I mean, we have what I’m willing to shell out of my own pocket.  So, it’s highly unlikely that his publisher will send him to us.  And he doesn’t really make it to Alabama much on his own.  He does get to DragonCon every year though, so I get to see him and say hi, which is lovely.  I’ve mostly stopped gushing.  Mostly.
On the other hand, I did get Dan Wells and Mary Robinette Kowal to come through the magic of… I don’t know.  Them being really, really nice I guess.  Mary brought herself and Dan managed to squeeze us into his Hollow City tour.  So, you never know.

6.  I want to grow my blog.
Which mostly means I need to get a regular update schedule and stick to it.  I’m bad at that sort of thing, but I owe it to my readers to do this thing right or knock it off.

7.  I want Jonathan Maberry to make a tee shirt for his Cafepress store that says “Joe Ledger is my imaginary boyfriend.”
I’ve been asking for this for years now.  He always laughs and says, “Soon.”  I think he thinks I’m crazy.  I’m comfortable with that though.

8.  Have the biggest and best Star Wars Reads Day in the city.
I did a Star Wars Reads event at the Homewood Library last year and it went really well.  But I didn’t have any stormtroopers.  I want stormtroopers this year!  And maybe a Darth Vader.  Or, at least, I’d like to have my Amidala costume finished.  One of my friends is actually in the 501st Legion, but he’s not going to be able to make it.  So, I just need to make sure my request for costumers gets in before Barnes & Noble and Pottery Barn this year!

9.  I want to someday attend a convention as a professional.
This should probably be up with the Squeecast entry, but I’d really like to eventually be on the other side of the mic at conventions.  I like to talk.  I like to talk to people.  And, I don’t get stage fright, which is handy.  Maybe someday.

Gail Carriger, From the Sword and Laser website

Nick Harkaway
Photo from the author’s website

10.  I’d like to meet Gail Carriger and Nick Harkaway.
These are the two authors I devote the most time and energy to that I haven’t met yet.  I’m (mostly) capable of not embarrassing myself in front of authors these days.  At least, I am if I know I’m about to meet them.  I can take some deep breaths and relax into the awesomeness of the moment.  So, I think I’d be safe.  I’d manage to say something nonsensical and then we’d be done.  Now I just have to figure out how to get to somewhere that said authors will be.  For Gail that seems to mean the west coast.  And for Mr. Harkaway, I guess I’ll have to go to England.  Darn.