Top Ten Tuesday #7: Best Bookish Memories

Haven't done one of these in a while, but I didn't really have anything to put for the last few except one or two, plus I was busy with other projects so I figured I just wouldn't do anything. But this one I liked. 

February 5: Top Ten Best Bookish Memories (waiting in line for a new release, meeting an author, or some sort of great experience with a particular book that was unlike others)
 

• Vince Flynn Booksigning in 2010. Definitely my favorite bookish experience, as he was really one of the writers that got me interested in reading, and is still one of my favorites. So when he was speaking/having a book signing at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, of course I had to go. Unfortunately I missed the book signing (but I did pick up a signed copy), but I got to hear all of his talk which was really enjoyable. Plus, it was my first time going to the RR Library, even though it's only ~an hour from my house, so that was a fun experience. 
   
• Meeting Michael Connelly. Much more recently, only last December 2012. One of my favorite authors, I was extremely excited that he was speaking/signing at a Barnes & Noble only ~20 minutes from my house. And this time I got there in time for everything, and got to meet him (I wrote an entry about it a few below this one, with a picture). His talk was awesome as well, and just an awesome experience. 
   
• Discovering A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness, and how it's a picture book. When I first heard that I was a little put-off. What, a children's book? But no, it's definitely not, and it was amazing. Definitely one of my favorite books, and discovering this book was an awesome memory. 
   
• Pre-ordering books (I only do it for my favorite authors). Yes, this one's a little lame, but it's true. Whenever I pre-order books for my favorite authors, I'm just super excited and can't wait for them to come. 
   
• Watching the Hobbit. This may sound weird, I know, but it's true. This is only the second movie I've seen just after reading the book. The other was The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly. But this was different. I mean, it was Peter Jackson's The Hobbit for crying out loud, and it was just an amazing, amazing experience. Saying lines with the movie that are from the book, seeing the similarities, the differences, etc. 
   
• Receiving The Last Man, by Vince Flynn, in the afternoon, starting it, and finishing it that night. Again, he's one of my favorite authors, and becoming so caught up with his book to read it in a single evening was just really fun. 
   
• Reading The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, and telling everyone about it. Similar to AMC, I was extremely (and pleasantly) surprised at how amazing this book was, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. 
   
• Finishing the Harry Potter Series. Simply just the feeling of "I finally read it" after reading it for the first time last August (2012). A great series and extremely enjoyable. 
   
• Reading A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin. This was the first book series that I've read that was high fantasy. This is the first book series that I've just gotten completely captivated by, and immersed myself in the world of ASoIaF. Reading these books was like living in a different time as I allowed myself to just become completely caught up in it.
   
• Michael Connelly marathon. Late last December I read 9 books in 13 days of his Harry Bosch series. Really an amazing experience and some amazing novels.