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I was a freshman at BYU 10 years ago and I heard that OSC would be coming to campus for a book signing and a couple lectures. The morning of the book signing I filled my backpack with my Ender books and set off to class, excited and nervous that I would get to meet my hero later that day. While walking to class with a friend, I saw a vaguely familiar face coming toward me, it took me a minute to place, then I realized it was Uncle Orson himself. On the same sidewalk, coming right toward me. I was so starstruck that all I could manage was a slight wave and a weak “hi”, to which he responded with a hearty “hello” as we passed each other. I almost fainted. I’ll never forget my first meeting with my favorite author. What are your “meeting Mr. Card” stories? Surely there are ones more entertaining than my own.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Dec 2006
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I'd been a fan for 10 years or so, and was in a financial situation that allowed me to get the money together. I applied to the writer's workshop (2 day class) and was accepted to the BootCamp (Weeklong class)
I actually met Kristine first, though I didn't know it at the time. I came in late to the workshop (:chagrin:) and took a seat far, far in the back, at the last desk. There was a lady sitting to my left, not at a desk-- since I had a notepad with a hard back to take notes on, I quickly leaned over and asked if she wanted my seat. She politely declined.
I didn't find out who she was, until Scott asked her to find out some information or something along those lines...
Scott is a very dynamic teacher. I think sometimes his charisma overshadows the value of what he teaches. It's hard to take notes while shaking with laughter, in other words.
He's also one of the most generous and patient people I've ever met. I think he expects a lot from people; but he showed himself willing to teach and expound and work with students to enable them to meet those expectations.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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I consider myself a better than average writer and I love to do it, but I think I might throw up if OSC ever looked at my stuff. OSC
Posts: 293 | Registered: Sep 2006
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I met him at a book signing in Dayton Ohio about 5 years ago or so. I was going to give him an invitation to OrneryCon and he had me give it to Kristine. Things went from there.
They are both some of the nicest people you will ever meet.
quote:Originally posted by DaisyMae: I consider myself a better than average writer and I love to do it, but I think I might throw up if OSC ever looked at my stuff. OSC
Me, too. I don't write well on the forums, but I think I write well enough when I'm really trying to get published, after some polishing and after learning some self-critiquing skills. I still think I'd hoark everywhere from nervousness and embarrassment if OSC ever read anything I wrote.
I'm still going to apply for 2007 Boot Camp, though. I really hope I get in. I'll cross my fingers extra-hard and ask for an antiemetic prescription before I go.
Posts: 1006 | Registered: Jun 2006
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He came to my high school when I was a junior, about seven? eight? years ago. I still wonder what circumstances brought him to a lowly high school. He did a 1000 Ideas session for us, and he signed books for the few people who brought them. I brought a very worn copy of Ender's Game because it was the only Card book I owned at the time. He remarked that the book had either been loved or been used as a door mat. I think I still have that beat-up copy of the book, even though I now also have a prettier copy.
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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I was 17. The book signing was at a bookstore in the Glendale Galleria, on a Sunday afternoon. My parents let me borrow the car, and it was a lovely drive.
I stood in line behind with two guys in front of me, and another behind, each of whom was WELL over 6'2". I joked that I wasn't used to feeling so short!!!
Scott had gotten stuck in traffic, so we were in line for a while. But everyone was friendly and I had some nice conversations. (That has actually been true at every OSC signing I have been to. OSC fans are usually really nice, fun people.)
It was eventually my turn, and I got to tell Scott my name . . . which he recognized, because we had exchanged emails. I still have the book he signed.
It was Hatrack River.
[Correction: I checked the books, and he actually singed my copy of Hatrack River in 2004. It was the then-brand-new Xenocide which he signed in July of 1991.]
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It was in 1981 or 1982 when I was a student at college. A bunch of scifi fans got organized enough to put together a magazine at the university (which, amazingly enough, is still being published by students at the university today!) As part of our fandom, we also put togther a science fiction and fantasy symposium and invited Mr. Card to be our premier speaker. He came and delivered an impressive speech about the portrayal of evil in literature. That night the group that put the symposium together hosted a get-together with Mr. Card as the guest of honor. It was a fantastic occasion. At one point an add-on story was started where one person starts the story, then the next person adds to it, and so on. By the time I got to the story it had gone in completely nonsensical directions with no coherent plot line. I decided that rather than continue the whimsy of the story, that I'd figure out a way to tie it all together. I have no idea what I wrote now, probably pretty bad. But I remember Mr. Card complimenting me (at least, that's how I took it, I surely hope it was a compliment!) for figuring out a way to wrap it all up and get it back on track. I basked in the glow of his compliment. It's been how many years now, and I still remember it. He's the only author I've ever met that I really liked in person. Other authors I've met have turned out to be too pretentious or caught up in their accomplishments, it seems to me. Mr. Card acted like he was just "one of the gang."
Posts: 315 | Registered: Dec 2005
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I was 15, almost 16. It was October 6, 2005, and OSC was coming to Columbia, MO, for the One Read program, for which our library system had chosen Ender's Game as their 2005 book.
I was uber-excited and gathered my (at the time) 8 OSC books to be signed. I made sure to tell every other person I knew at school that I had hooked on Ender's Game. I did convince one other young man to come along with me. It was quite the exciting experience to hear Mr. Card speak at MU and to have him sign my books at the library. He also commented that my copy of EG was a bit raggedy. I showed him my flash gun concept art, and he liked it.
8 months later in June 2006, I was back at Geology Auditorium on the MU campus for the Missouri Scholars Academy program, and one day towards the end of the program I decided to host an Ender's Game/OSC discussion table during dinner that night. 3 or 4 other fans showed up and it was a lot of fun. I reminisced on my experience with them, and all were jealous. Posts: 206 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Last night, at his Empire book signing here in Greensboro. He signed my 16 year old copy of "How to write Science Fiction and Fantasy" that I've had since high school.
Posts: 1 | Registered: Dec 2006
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I was living in New York, and I got an AOL CD in the mail. I installed it for the free few hours, and went to Hatrack, where I was able to read Children of the Mind before it was published.
I slammed through it in a few hours, and noticed that there was a small historical error. I e-mailed OSC, and told him (as humbly as possible). He wrote back, acknowledged the error, told me he was going to use literary license and keep it in, because it was necessary to the plot.
Then a few years ago, I submitted an essay to Ornery, which he published. It's still up there. A couple of years after that, I went to a book signing in Santa Cruz, and he made some comments during his talk about Ornery, and how too few people appreciate it. When I got up to the front, I told him that appreciate it very much, and he got the happiest look on his face. When I told him who I was and the article I'd written, he stood up and shook my hand. I'm still in awe about it.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I never actually got to meet him, but I emailed him once and he responded.
It was around 1986 or 87, I was living in Indiana and had posted to Usenet in rec.arts.sf.written (I think) asking if OSC still did book signings. I said something about possibly flying to Greensboro to attend one if necessary. Well a friend of Scott's saw my post and forwarded it to him, and he forwarded a Usenet reply that basically said, "You don't have to do that -- mail the books to me and I'll sign them for you."
I was astounded that he would actually do that, and I remember emailing him a thank-you and saying that I wanted to wait until a got a new hardcopy of "Songmaster" (my favorite book), since my paperback copy was pretty beat up. He said not to worry about that and to send the paperback anyway. I ended up sending about 15-20 books in a big box, which he signed and mailed back to me about a month later!
Mr. Card will always have my respect and admiration for going the extra mile for me. Posts: 29 | Registered: Nov 2006
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I haven't met him yet because he won't come to St. Louis. Or anywhere else in Missouri after school hours.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Book-signing at BYU in Fall 2000. I tagged along to dinner after, and we talked about our missions. I swapped mission stories with OSC!! I was floating so much for the next two weeks that two professors asked me what was going on.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Libbie: I'm still going to apply for 2007 Boot Camp, though. I really hope I get in. I'll cross my fingers extra-hard and ask for an antiemetic prescription before I go.
Hey, I'm planning to apply this year, too. Maybe we'll both get in .
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Fall 2000. Booksigning tour for "Sarah". He had two signings in the Dallas area that day (mid-afternoon in Dallas, evening in Irving, as I recall). I went to the afternoon one, which was rather sparsely attended (it was a weekday) - maybe 25 people showed up in total. It was a good size for each of us to get most of our questions in. (More of a round-table, less of a "line 'em up and keep it moving" situation.)
I was actually able to refer OSC to a particular version of the Bible that had been translated from Aramaic texts (relevant to "Sarah" in that this particular version supposed that "turned into a pillar of salt" was a euphamism for "scared to death").
It was a good and civil discussion. (The whole occasion, not just my little bit.)
Posts: 23 | Registered: Jul 2006
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During the signing tour for (I believe) Shadow of the Hegemon. He came to Winter Park, which was close enough for me to take a day off from work and book over there. OSC was late -- more traffic -- but one of the Barnes and Noble employees mentioned how polite we all were, waiting... I met the esteemed Mr. Scopatz there, and Icarus, and probably others I've forgotten in the slightly dizzy haze I was in.
When he showed up he signed everything anyone had brought, although he did ask that people with tons of stuff come back through the line so everyone would have a chance. Again, no complaints. He and Kristine recognized Bob's name (no surprise) and mine (!) from Hatrack and welcomed us like we were family and posed for pictures. A SciFi radio show was set up to record a Q and A so he happily answered questions for awhile. I was sitting next to Kristine during this and was torn between listening to OSC and talking to her but he kept dropping hints about upcoming projects and I'm afraid it wasn't a contest (sorry, Mrs. Card!).
Argue as I will with some of his opinions and conclusions -- and I will -- OSC remains one of the smartest, most personable people I've ever met.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Still waiting for a signing near me when I'm not catching a flight to leave the country two days later... I'm patient, though. : )
Posts: 1355 | Registered: Jul 2006
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I first met OSC when I went out to dinner with him at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama. He had been invited by our university's lecture series committee, of which I was a member. There must have been about 10-12 of us at the table.
I rarely spoke, and when I did start to speak, I was usually drowned out by another. Still, it was a fascinating meal.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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Aw...such a loss for everyone else at the table, CT..
I was indeed at the signing that ChrisBridges described. Besides meeting Icarus, Cor and Chris Bridges for the first time (all of whom I consider friends and have spent many a happy time with), there were some distinctly memorable aspects of that first Card-encounter. The one I fear will live with me forever is that as I shook his hand after the photo-taking with Chris & OSC, I turned an knocked over a display of Card's books. He stooped to pick them up. It was just the sort of thing I would've expected from me, but I didn't know how utterly gracious he was until that moment. I think he's an awfully nice person and Kristine is at least as nice as he is.
It even pains me deeply to say that I knocked over those books on purpose and would do it again if the restraining order is ever lifted.
Posts: 300 | Registered: Dec 2002
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For the Shadow of the Giant tour, OSC was at a Borders relatively near me on my birthday. Of course I went, of course I told him, and now my copy of Shadow of the Giant has "Happy Birthday" to me written in it from OSC.
I watched and listened while he circulated to sign books before his talk (this time, he was early), and he really has a gift for listening intently. Every person there had his full attention for at least a few minutes--and that, to me, is the definition of being personable and charming.
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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