Cecily White: The truth about tongue-tied fangirls (redundant?)

Authors, just like readers, have their fangirl moments. Mine include the moment Susan Elizabeth Phillips asked me to take a picture of her and her friend at last year's RWA conference. Squee! And then the time Kristan Higgins and Jill Shalvis hung out with me for everyone to see (yep, they're my buds, people!). Oh, and I'll never forget when Christina Dodd walked up to me in the hotel lobby and said, "Aren't you Joyce Lamb?" I mean, Christina Dodd! Knew me. Talk about tongue-tied. But this isn't about me (I know it's hard to tell). This is about Cecily White's fangirl moments at the recent RT Booklovers Convention. Cecily's latest, Prophecy Girl, is out now. (Do you think it's a coincidence that the name of her book is also the name of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode? I think not.)

Cecily: People often ask who my major influences were in writing the Angel Academy series. Well, the answer is vast.

There are so many facets to crafting a good story: quick pacing, snappy dialogue, authentic voice, character depth, textured imagery, culturally and developmentally relevant themes. Needless to say, major influences abound. Today I'm excited to answer that question, however, since I recently had the opportunity to meet several of them in person.

As most folks know, the Romantic Times readers convention was more than a week ago in Kansas City, not too far from where I live. Now, whatever you think I mean by "readers convention," multiply it times a million, dress it up in taffeta, then slather it in diamonds and free books.

You're getting closer.

I had breakfast with Karina Cooper. I signed books with Rachel Vincent and Nicole Williams. I ate dinner with Jennifer Armentrout and danced with Jus Accardo. Ally Carter offered to freshen my water bottle at the signing (on purpose), and Tera Lynn Childs knew my name. Seriously, if I'd died and gone to Book Lovers' Heaven (yes, that does exist), it couldn't have been more idyllic.

So, although it took some effort to muscle through my fangirl moments, I think I managed to stay quasi-verbal for a few key conversations with my author idols:

• Gayle Forman. Anyone who's read If I Stay or Where She Went knows what I'm talking about. This woman is phenomenal. Every character she writes bleeds wit and emotion. And however impressed you are by her writing, again, multiply that by a million and douse it with candy corn. Yes, she's really that cool in person.

• Jennifer Brown. Hate List. Bitter End. Perfect Escape. Jennifer Brown has such an incredible grasp of the human condition — the intersection of pain and love — it can both break your heart and make you want to dance with joy, sometimes simultaneously. She's the kind of woman who inspires you to be better than you thought you could be, and makes you laugh while she's doing it.

• Ally Carter. Don't tell her this, but I keep my collection of the Gallagher Girls series in a special place in my office. Sometimes when I need to smile, I'll open one of them up and read a chapter or two. Never fails. I love this woman. The hilarious thing is that when I met her, I didn't actually realize who she was. See, the folks at RT spelled her name wrong on her badge (Alley Carter. Definition: One who carts crap down an alley). So when I read it, I didn't realize that's who she was. Hence, I didn't shriek or get weird. I didn't even turn pink and start sputtering hero-worshippy things. (Lesson — when you're famous, misspell your name on purpose to avoid fangirl freak-outs.)

The next two I DIDN'T get to meet, though they are and always will be at the top of my freak-worthy list:

•Stacey Jay. I also have a section of my office dedicated to Megan Berry, zombie settler. If I ever end up at a conference with Stacey Jay, I may need to switch to decaf to keep it together.

• Last but not least, Maggie Stiefvater. The Shiver series, The Scorpio Races, The Raven Boys. Holy crud, SO much soul in this woman's writing. It's lyrical and strange and perfect and unforgettable. There aren't words to convey my love for Maggie Stiefvater. OK, maybe there are, but I haven't found them. I love her as much as I love Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams put together. As much as I love Nutella and Ritz crackers. Way more than I love Chris Pine, which is significant.

So, no matter what you like to read, I STRONGLY encourage you to pick up a book by any of these fabulously talented women. And if they offer you water at a conference, for God's sake, say yes!

What about you, readers? Have you ever had a close encounter with your literary heroes? Who would you most like to meet? (To comment, click on the gray comment balloon the left side of your browser window.)

Here's the blurb for Prophecy Girl:

Amelie Bennett ... ending the world, one prophecy at a time.

I was born to slay Crossworld demons.

Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.

Then he shows up.

Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he's my trainer. And, OK, maybe he hates me. Doesn't mean I'll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It's crazy! Every time I'm with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right?

Wrong.

Now my teachers think I'm the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Getting it done without falling in love ... that might take a miracle.

To find out more about Cecily and her books, you can visit cecilywhite.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@CecilyWhite) and Goodreads.