So one of my favorite blog ladies and authors, Jen Lancaster was out here for a reading and signing last week to promote her newest book “Pretty in Plaid”. I normally am not a booksigning type person, but I think she’s so amazing, that I HAD to go.
I got there like 45 minutes early and there were already people there! D had accompanied me, looked around, realized he was the only male there and decided he was going to walk around the shopping center and meet me when it was over. Haha! All these women were sitting there in anticipation, and when one of the employees announced that Jen was IN the building, I let out a fan-girl type squeal. Yeah. Lame. And the women sitting in my row made fun of me for it. I think one of them said something sarcastic along the lines of, “Excited are we?”
But I just think she’s so fabulous! And I think that the reason she is so beloved by her fans is because she’s relatable. I made my sister start reading it and she goes, “Oh my god, you guys are the SAME person!” I feel like I can look up to her because she got her writing career started online, and she took it in a direction I someday hope to go in. She is also easy to connect to because she’s so honest about her weight and she’s nice, she’s funny, and on top of everything else, she’s REALLY smart! She’s a real human being just like everyone else, and I think that’s what’s made her so successful.
She did a reading and a then a Q&A and she’s basically exactly like I imagined her. I think I have an even bigger “girl crush” on her than EVER:
This was the last leg of her tour and I can imagine she was tired, but she was so vibrant and funny and genuine. And her facial expressions are hysterical!
So since I kind of idolize her, when it was finally my turn to meet her and have her sign my book, I knew I had to say something really great and insightful. Something intelligent about her book. Or her blog. Something witty. Something really cool that she would remember and we would spark up a conversation and become lifelong friends. I get up to the table, all prepared to just be the coolest fan she’s ever met, and all I can say is, “ITHINKYOU’RESOGREAT!”
Yeah I choked. I tried to recover and that didn’t really go any better. I think I squeaked out something like, “I know I sound so lame, but you really are so great!” Good job.
Luckily she was very gracious, and said to me, “You know, I’m gonna be honest, I never get tired of hearing that! It never gets old!” And I think I said something asinine in response like, “Oh it’s just that I got so excited when you walked in, that the other ladies in the row I was in were making fun of me!” And then I got so worked up I couldn’t speak. Keep in mind, I used to work in restaurants that celebrities came into all the time. I used to keep a running list of all the celebs I had seen and/or waited on. And it was long. And I had NEVER gotten starstruck before. I mean hello, I live in LA. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting someone famous. But I dont know what happened. But again, thankful to Jen’s gracious attitude she made me feel better by sharing this tidbit with me. She told me that the first time she met Jennifer Weiner who is one of her author idols, she teared up! So she says, “You’re not crying at least! So you’re doing better than I did!” And then said something about really liking enthusiastic fans. I laughed and then took a picture with her.
Don’t we at least LOOK like we’re BFFs?? 
You can find Jen Lancaster at her blog Jennsylvania or you van follow her on Twitter @altgeldshrugged
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