# If you could meet any writer...



## Tom Schreck (Dec 12, 2010)

What three(living or dead) would you choose and what would you ask them?

Me? John D. MacDonald, Robert B Parker and Donald Westlake.


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## Thayerphotos (Dec 19, 2010)

Stephen King.  Hands down.  I love listening to him talk and think that a lunch or coffee chat withhim would simply be amazing.

Other choices would be S.M.Stirling my 2nd favorite author after King, 

and Thomas Harris, I'd ask him why he doesn't publish more often.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Samuel Clemens, Edgar Allen Poe, CS Lewis


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## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

M R James, H P Lovecraft and Robert E Howard of the dead ones

Michael Moorcock, Ray Bradbury and Stephen King of those still with us.

Different questions for all of them, but mostly I'd just like to hear of their motivations and drive, and to ask if they were ever satisfied with any of their work or did they suffer from the same self-doubt that plagues me.


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2011)

Tim O'Brien! Joseph Heller would've been great too. And of course Samuel Clemens, to echo BTackitt.


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## M.S. Verish (Feb 26, 2010)

I (Matt) would love to have met Edgar Allen Poe. As for authors alive, I already met Patrick Rothfuss, but I had yet to read a single word of his book when I bumped into him at GenCon '09! He was the nicest guy. Wish his book tour would come to Cleveland this year. I've got some questions I need to ask him.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

Twain and Stephen King are both great picks -- they're authors I feel I "know" personally in a sense, Twain because his personality is so vividly conveyed in his travel memoirs, and King because of Danse Macabre, On Writing, his story introductions, and interviews. He has always come across as incredibly warm, funny, and collegial person. 

I would LOVE to have met Zora Neal Hurston! What a life, and what a fascinating person she was. Edna Lewis, Julia Child, and M.F.K. Fisher too -- great food writers in general seem like good people to hang out with. I guess Calvin Trillin's still available, so maybe someday ...


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## Five String (Jun 6, 2010)

Herman Melville. I'd want to know if all that cannibal stuff in his early first few books was true.


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## Jimbo72 (Dec 31, 2010)

I was raised in Key West and would have to say Ernest Hemingway all the way.  He is my all time favorite writer and would love to go fishing with him and just go to Sloppy Joes and drink with him!

Someone who is alive I would have to say Stephen King, I bet he would be fun to sit down to and talk with.


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## Galdemore (Jan 13, 2011)

This is a hard pick but: H.P. Lovecraft, Aleister Crowley (he had quite a writing career) and perhaps Orwell. These men had deeply intriguing personalities and would definitely color any one's life with excitement and wisdom.


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## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

Mark Twain, Jane Austin and J.K. Rowling.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

heh -- I'm pretty sure Crowley was a colossal jerk, and H.P.L. would refuse to talk to any of us.


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## Randy Kadish (Feb 24, 2010)

Shakespeare. After all, he had no idea how great he was (is). I'd like to tell him so; and from what we know, he was a nice guy.
Randy


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

Vince Flynn.... but  I  really  want to meet  Mitch Rapp.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

Randy Kadish said:
 

> Shakespeare. After all, he had no idea how great he was (is). I'd like to tell him so; and from what we know, he was a nice guy.
> Randy


if he is who we think he is (there have been theories that Shakespeare was more of a pen name than an actual person)


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

The first two are easy: Roger Zelazny and Terry Pratchett. Then it gets much more difficult for me to pick one who stands out above the others that are favorites or whom I find interesting. While it's not a slam dunk choice, the one that keeps bubbling toward the surface as I think of different reasons to meet an author is Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., so I'll go with him as #3 for now. 

As to what I'd ask them, mostly I'd just be telling them what an impact each made on me at different points in my life, and I suppose I'd ask them all the usual author questions about the process of writing, who were their inspirations, what were their favorite books by other authors, which book of theirs would they most want others to read if they read nothing else by them, and so on.


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## D. Nathan Hilliard (Jun 5, 2010)

Terry Pratchett, Mark Twain, and Isaac Asimov


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## Sandra Edwards (May 10, 2010)

I want to meet Rod Serling and Isaac Asimov


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## MeloniePhillips (Jan 13, 2011)

Steven King; just finished Full Dark No Stars and I loved it.  I have always enjoyed his books would love to meet the man behind the fiction, would be interesting to say the least.
Charlane Harris I gobble up everything by Charlane Harris I love her book have read every single one.
Donna VanLiere I love her books they inspire me.


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, and Michael Crichton.

But I could name so many others!


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling. I'd be far too tongue-tied to ask them anything, but I'd be content just to sit and listen to them chatting.


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## Belle2Be (Aug 29, 2010)

Stephen King for sure, he was the first one to really pull me into reading and he's still my "go to guy" to escape reality


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## jyarrow (Aug 15, 2010)

As a mystery writer, I'd love to meet Ruth Rendell and ask her why, from the beginning, her books focussed on the psychology of criminals as revealed by writing from their points of view. She's a true trail blazer in this area!


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## purplepen79 (May 6, 2010)

Shirley Jackson, Ira Levin, and Susan Howatch.  Shirley Jackson because her ability to convey atmosphere is unparalleled, and I would love to ask her what locale inspired Hill House so I can visit it.  I'd ask Ira Levin if he knows any jokes because his books reveal a rather twisted sense of humor which I think is necessary for great horror writers.  I read an interview with Susan Howatch one time, and her responses were so interesting about the writing process that I would have loved to ask her more questions in that vein.


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## kcmay (Jul 14, 2010)

Theodore Sturgeon, Arthur C. Clarke, Carl Sagan. They all seem like they'd be such interesting people.

Michael Crichton, yes. He had something to say. lol


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## Jay. (Jan 1, 2011)

Tolkien. Definitely Tolkien.

jay.


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## Glen Krisch (Dec 21, 2010)

King, Tim Lebbon, Dan Simmons and Chuck Palahniuk.  All sitting at a big round table, drinking beers, swapping stories.


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## Thayerphotos (Dec 19, 2010)

Jay. said:


> Tolkien. Definitely Tolkien.
> 
> jay.


I think meeting Tolkien would be a bit of a let down, I read one of his biographies and the man just wasn't that exciting, he was a linguist by training, and unless your idea of stimulating conversation involves the subtleties and nuiances old elvish you'd probably be bored


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## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

Stephen King, Richard Brautigan, Phillip K. Dick!


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## catherinedurkinrobinson (Sep 3, 2010)

Erma Bombeck and Harper Lee


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## CodenameWalrus (Jan 14, 2011)

Vonnegut.  Hands down.


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

Let's see...

For different reasons each...

Stephen King

James Patterson

Faye Kellerman


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## Thayerphotos (Dec 19, 2010)

also, what do you mean by "meet", are we talking about seeing them in a mall and getting an autograph, or being able to have a short conversation ?  A sit down for coffee ?  A meal ?  Spend the entire weekend with ?

Ithink Stephen King and JK Rowling would be an interesting pair to spend time with, since he's an admitted fan of hers.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

I assume hang out for at least several hours, preferably over drinks and dinner. 

If it's just a passing encounter, I would choose Neil Gaiman or Michael Chabon, because they're both easy on the eyes (not normally a strong suite for writers) as well as talented and interesting.


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

I honestly wouldn't really want to met any of my favorite authors. Why? Because I find that sometimes getting to know someone and having them be so different from their writing can actually ruin that image of them that you had in your head and therefore ruin their books as well. 

I am they type of person that if I see posts or views about an author I don't agree with or that upset me, then I tend to shy away from their books, no matter how good or how much others rave about them. I wouldn't want some of my most favorite characters to be ruined for me.


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## nelmsm (Dec 24, 2009)

I'd have to go with Stephen King, James Michener, and U.S. Grant.


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

- Mark Twain
- Stephen King
- Ernest Hemingway 
- John Steinbeck
- JK Rowling
- Edgar Allan Poe
- Dr. Seuss


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

Throw G.W. Bush in there, too.


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## Rob Alex (Jul 6, 2010)

It would have to be OSHO for me 600 books and what deep subject matter.


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## newportwa (Jul 18, 2009)

My dad was an attorney and did work for Robert Parker over several years.  He said he was an amazing guy and really easy to get to know.

I would like to meet Jane Austen and Lee Child.


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## Jon King (Sep 10, 2010)

1.  Hemingway (though I'd be frankly terrified the whole time)
2.  Twain
3.  Poe (but I bet he'd be a downer in person)


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## Thayerphotos (Dec 19, 2010)

Zell said:


> - Mark Twain
> - Stephen King
> - Ernest Hemingway
> - John Steinbeck
> ...


With the exception of Dr. Seuss, this would be a very interesting list of guests at a dinner party. Can you imagine the conversation ? Especially if all of them had read each others work ? I'd be happy to just sit there and watch not saying a word


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## LarryEnright (Nov 27, 2010)

J.R.R. Tolkein, Isaac Asimov, and C.S. Lewis


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## VivianMarie (Jan 9, 2011)

NogDog said:


> The first two are easy: Roger Zelazny and Terry Pratchett. Then it gets much more difficult for me to pick one who stands out above the others that are favorites or whom I find interesting. While it's not a slam dunk choice, the one that keeps bubbling toward the surface as I think of different reasons to meet an author is Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., so I'll go with him as #3 for now.
> 
> As to what I'd ask them, mostly I'd just be telling them what an impact each made on me at different points in my life, and I suppose I'd ask them all the usual author questions about the process of writing, who were their inspirations, what were their favorite books by other authors, which book of theirs would they most want others to read if they read nothing else by them, and so on.


I <3 Roger Zelazny... I don't really like SciFi, but Lord of Light had a huge impact on my life. Also, I love your answer, so, I'm quoting you. 

I would love, love, love to meet Rafael Sabatini. That guy was an unbelievable genius. I just want to sit down with him and have a chat. I think I'd be inspired and laugh hysterically through the whole thing. If you haven't read Captain Blood, and you like witty humor, check it out!

And L.J. Smith. She inspired me to become a writer way, way, WAY back when, and everything about my writing style and the types of books I write is all attributed to her. So I'd like to thank her. I think if I asked her anything, it would probably be, "Can I study under you? Can I be your ghost writer some day?"

I think I'd probably like to meet Joss Whedon, too, but I'd probably turn into a raving-screaming fan girl and embarrass myself, so maybe not... If I ever asked him a question, it would probably be something like, "Why didn't you have Willow and Xander end up together?" (Bonus points if you get the reference! ) And then he'd give me some deep philosophical answer and I'd just stare blankly at him and probably cry because I'd embarrassed myself in front of Joss Whedon. And then I'd go away.


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

Frank Herbert, Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman. Each of them has written at least one thing that profoundly changed my thinking.


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## Matthew Stewart (Jan 7, 2011)

Stephen King, Kurt Vonnegut, Shelby Foote

And on the opposite sie is Cormac McCarthy, who seems totally boring to me for some reason.


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## masoquismo (Jan 14, 2011)

It's a toss up between Patricia Briggs or Kelley Armstrong. It would be fantastic to meet them. I fell into their books with such surprising ease, I just love them. (The books, I mean.)


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## Mel Comley (Oct 13, 2010)

Hmmm. James Patterson, because I'm annoyed at him not writing his own work anymore.

Karen Rose, because her writing is both effortless and flawless.

And Karin Slaughter, who stepped in when I'd lost faith in Patricia Cornwell's writing.

Mel


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## Vianka Van Bokkem (Aug 26, 2010)

Stephen King and J.K. Rowling

Dead author Laura Ingalls Wilder



Vianka Van Bokkem


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

Living - Tate Hallaway. She's not wildly successful but I like her style of work. Plus, she lives in MN. It would be great to spend the day with her chatting about her ideas, struggles, the writing process, etc. 

Dead - Vladimir Nabokov. I'm very glad I read Lolita after I became a writer. The way he slowly unraveled Humbert and showed the reader his self-destruction was brilliant. 

Jenna


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## Rob Alex (Jul 6, 2010)

Another one I would love to meet is Serge King.


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

Sigrid Unset, Jane Austen, Pearl Buck.  Love to ask about the source(s) of their inspiration.  

Miriam


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## kcmay (Jul 14, 2010)

Some of y'all's answers make me nod and say, "ooh yeah." Another one, if I were to get a fourth choice, is Maya Angelou. I'll bet she's interesting!


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## mattposner (Oct 28, 2010)

Living -- Colin Wilson, George RR Martin

Dead -- JRR Tolkien, Jane Austen


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## stevene9 (Nov 9, 2008)

I had the wonderful luck of spending an afternoon with Isaac Asimov. As  a great sci fi fan, this was heaven. The first half of the afternoon was he and I alone chatting, and the second half was with several other people joining us. That is my first, second, and third choice. His knowledge of science was quite incredible, and the speculative wanderings of his mind were incredible. It was the most fascinating afternoon I've ever spent (by a long mile).


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## Cathryn Grant (Dec 7, 2010)

jyarrow said:


> As a mystery writer, I'd love to meet Ruth Rendell and ask her why, from the beginning, her books focussed on the psychology of criminals as revealed by writing from their points of view. She's a true trail blazer in this area!


I'd love to meet Ruth Rendell, and Patricia Highsmith. I'd also ask why they were drawn to write from the criminals' perspective. Both do so brilliantly and with beautiful subtlety.


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## Thayerphotos (Dec 19, 2010)

stevene9 said:


> I had the wonderful luck of spending an afternoon with Isaac Asimov. As a great sci fi fan, this was heaven. The first half of the afternoon was he and I alone chatting, and the second half was with several other people joining us. That is my first, second, and third choice. His knowledge of science was quite incredible, and the speculative wanderings of his mind were incredible. It was the most fascinating afternoon I've ever spent (by a long mile).


I'm not even an Asimov fan and I have to admit I'm jealous of this. Wow. What a great day that must have been for you.


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## stormhawk (Apr 29, 2009)

Harlan Ellison, Andrew Vachss, and wow. The third one is harder, isn't it ... Robert Heinlein.


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## hppavmx704 (Jan 17, 2011)

There are so many that I'd love to meet but to pick three...,well here it goes:

CS Lewis: I would ask how he came up with his ideas that were so advanced for his time, what his inspiration was, and why he decided to write what he did.

JRR Tolkien: How did he come up with Middle Earth.

Last but not least RA Salvatore: What got him started writing about Drizzt.


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## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

It would be Stephen King for me. My husband would say for him Lee Child.


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## Bakari (May 25, 2010)

Steven Johnson (_author of Everything Bad is Good for You_), Malcolm Gladwell and Stephen Dubner of _Freakonomics_ fame.

My writing style is similar to these guys and I love how they can make academic theories and ideas so interesting.


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## TC Beacham (Nov 23, 2009)

Definitely with you on Robert B. Parker!

I've been lucky enough to meet two true heroines of mine, Eudora Welty and Marjory Stoneman Douglas.


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## trampas22 (Jan 17, 2011)

Louis L'Amour, Earnest Haycox or Luke Short (all dead sadly)
Living: Cormac McCarthy, Roddy Doyle & Frank McCourt


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

For me it would be Agatha Christie, Isaac Asminov, and L.M. Montgomery. I'd ask Agatha how she came up with her devious plots. I'd ask Asminov what his writing schedule was like (he wrote over 400 books), and I'd ask Lucy Maude (author of the Anne of Green Gables series) if she had to do it all again, would she have made different choices in her life?

Debra


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## lorezskyline (Apr 19, 2010)

Terry Pratchet because he seems like that eccentric friendly relative everyone should have.
Phillip K Dick just to ask him how in the hell he came up with all those ideas it cant have just been the drugs?
William Shakespeare just to let him know how bored I was during years 10 & 11 at school due to his plays seriously Romeo and Juliet I wanted to slap them both and tell them to get a life and a new GF or BF (maybe i'm not a romantic!)  
Lastly not to meet but to bring him back to get his opinions on where the world has gone since his day George Orwell.


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## LRGiles (Apr 28, 2010)

Stephen King - would love to shake his hand

Steven Barnes - such a great motivator

Tananarive Due - A wonderful, wonderful author who I've traded emails with several times, but have never had an opportunity to meet face to face


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## resipsa13 (Jan 19, 2011)

hppavmx704 said:


> There are so many that I'd love to meet but to pick three...,well here it goes:
> 
> CS Lewis: I would ask how he came up with his ideas that were so advanced for his time, what his inspiration was, and why he decided to write what he did.
> 
> ...


HA! I'm on the SAME page. I've met Bob Salvatore several times and he is such an incredibly humble, nice and genuine gentleman. Reading Tolkien changed his life and he started to write.


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## Sunset (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd very much like to play miniature golf with Virginia Woolf, Jane Austen, and Sylvia Plath. Maybe bumper boats too.


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## vikram1 (Nov 11, 2010)

Kurt Vonnegut, Neil Gaiman, and Roald Dahl.


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## 16205 (Jun 8, 2010)

Koontz and Tolkein.


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## JoeMitchell (Jun 6, 2010)

I would have dinner with Douglas Adams at the restaurant at the end of the universe.

Party all night with Stephen King while he was writing Tommyknockers.

I would talk about robots, artificial intelligence, and space colonization with Isaac Asimov.

Sit on the bank of the Mississippi with Mark Twain and talk about anything.  I'd love to see his reaction to the recent censorship on Huck Finn.  That would be priceless.


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## ChrisPhilbrook (Jan 18, 2011)

Tough call....  I'd probably put Stephen King at the top, just because he was the first author I really got entranced by.  

I think I'd also fall in love if I could sit down and talk with Tolkien.  His mind would fascinate me.

And for my third pick, I think I'd probably go with HP Lovecraft.  I realize he was nutty as squirrel turds, but I would still love to pick his brain.


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## crash86 (Oct 8, 2010)

Stephen King would be at the top of the list.  WB Yeats now while he is a poet he also wrote plays and short stories also for the fact that I did live in Sligo for a time and would love to talk about the beauty of the place with him.  last but not least, Anne McCaffrey.  Can I throw in a 4th, Frank Mc Court, again I lived in Limerick as well and would love to have a pint with him.


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## nmg222 (Sep 14, 2010)

Benjamin Franklin (kind of an author)
Stephen King
Daniel Silva


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## M.C. Walker (Sep 19, 2010)

C.S. Lewis, Agathie Christie...and living, Harper Lee.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

Robert E Howard

Phillip K Dick

Mike Mignola

Charles Stross

...and someone who can pare that list down to three without disappointing me!


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## LaFlamme (Dec 9, 2010)

I've met Stephen King a bunch of times. Up here in the village of Maine, we all know each other. 
He's always very gracious and often, funny as hell. The one thing that strikes me every time I see the man up close is how damn tall he is. It goes well with the larger-than-life persona.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

So. Jealous.


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## LaFlamme (Dec 9, 2010)

Yeah, the dude is always hanging around outside my house, begging for story ideas. Very irritating.
But, seriously. People still flock to his house up in Bangor like it's Graceland. The house is impressive, but he doesn't live like a celebrity. You're apt to run into him at the corner market or at some greasy spoon if you're banging around Bangor long enough.


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## MAGreen (Jan 5, 2009)

Al Past...and I hope to meet him someday too! For those of you who don't know, he is one of our local authors here on KB. He has written the Distant Cousin series. Not only is he a great storyteller, but he's a really nice guy.


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## Andre Jute (Dec 18, 2010)

Richard Condon, author of a string of ironic thrillers, of which the most famous is The Manchurian Candidate, thought the best is probably An Infinity of Mirrors and the funniest is Arigato. I met him, and even had dinner with him, and he didn't disappoint. We also had correspondence during his Irish period (before I in turn came to live in Ireland). A superb raconteur.

Among the writers I haven't met, I would especially like to meet Charles McCarry, a craftsman, especially in those early Paul Christopher novels.

In both writers, though I don't know if they would admit it and I never discussed it with Condon, I detected the influence of Hemingway.


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## peter darbyshire (Jan 22, 2011)

I sat beside Roger Zelazny once in a restaurant at a SF convention. I didn't want to bother him, though, because he was eating breakfast. Sometimes I wish I had, because he's my favourite writer -- I've requested I be buried with his Amber books. 

I interviewed Neil Gaiman a few years back for the paper where I work. Super nice guy. He was just as happy to talk about sushi as his books. 

Sometimes I think it would be fun to have dinner with Steven Brust.


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## Chryse (Oct 4, 2010)

Cormac McCarthy, Jeff Lindsay, and Hunter S. Thompson

Commenting on the Crowley comment, yeah, anyone who would so colossally break his oaths the way he did is probably a pretty big jerk, but I bet he would be pretty darn interesting


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## Richardcrasta (Jul 29, 2010)

Kurt Vonnegut, Tim O'Brien, Arthur Miller, Joseph Brodsky, Joseph Heller: I have met them all. But except for Tim O'Brien and Joseph Brodsky, too briefly (just a handshake in 2 cases). I would have loved to have met Kurt Vonnegut again and again, and been his friend. All i have is this letter from him, which I treasure.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Well, modern writers probably Mary Renault. For a modern poet, it would be Auden. Classic and ancient writers, there are a lot of them. Plato. I'd like to meet Plato but would that mean I'd have to speak classical Greek? *winces*


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## Richardcrasta (Jul 29, 2010)

In fact, I mention a few of the writers I met: Tim O'Brien, John Irving, Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Brodsky, and a few others--in my memoir "The Killing of an Author". However, you can also "meet" writers much more meaningfully, sometimes, in their books. Not all writers--some hide behind their books, but others are transparent, open, and hug you to their bosoms. (As I do, though mine is no bosom to be proud of!)


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## Zackery Arbela (Jan 31, 2011)

Robert Jordan, without question.


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## MarkPaulJacobs (Jan 21, 2011)

Larry Niven.


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## matt youngmark (Jan 11, 2011)

Kurt Vonnegut, Sarah Vowell and Stan Lee.


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## Sebastian Kirby (Jan 3, 2011)

Hi 

My three:

Ray Bradbury - where did all those wonderful imaginings come form?

Charles Dickens - just how did you end up making writing pay?

William Gibson - why no more inner visions in cyberspace?

Seb


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

Living authors...Carrie Fisher, Stephen King, Clive Cussler.

Miriam Minger


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