You ever have someone totally surprise you? It doesn’t happen often for me which is a shame considering how I love a good surprise. Though the few I have had the pleasure of receiving were quite memorable. One will always stick out in my mind from my childhood. When I was in junior high, I wanted a ten speed. My parents gave me a card. A card! Okay, well there was more to this card than met the eye. In the very corner of the envelope was a paper clip and a string was tied to it. I had to follow the string to find my gift. In between our house and the neighbors….yep you guessed it! My ten speed was waiting tied to the end of the string. There were other surprises, but that one in particular is one that sticks out for me. Now years later, I have another memorable one to add to the list.
I am a HUGE Laurell K Hamilton fan. (I have all the Anita Blake and Gentry series in hard back if that gives you any indication to my level of appreciation for her writing.) Laurell K Hamilton was here in Vegas about two weeks ago for a book signing at the local library. (Not entirely surprising seeing as Laurell is a woman of great taste and she appreciates the draw the Vegas valley has. 
) Well, I was unable to make this book signing, much to my disappointment. A co-worker was planning to attend and told me if I brought in one of my LKH books, she would have it signed for me. I didn’t have any of my books at the house where I am currently staying. So Friday came and went, as did the weekend and Monday, with an occasional thought on how much I might have garnered from attending an event with an author I hold in high esteem. Truly both fan and writer in me would have benefited. Tuesday I got to work and there on my desk sat Laurell’s brand new Anita Blake book, Skin Trade, autographed to yours truly with a special little inscription:
“To M, best wishes from a fellow writer, Laurell K Hamilton”
Now if that isn’t just pure awesomeness topped with awesome sauce I don’t know what is. I have adored LKH since I picked up my first Anita Blake. I know there are fans out there who do not like the direction the series has taken, but as a writer, I can see and appreciate the growth Anita has undergone in the series and no one can deny the talent that Laurell posesses. A special and very heartfelt thank you goes out to Carol for giving me another surprise to add to my memorable surprises list.
