Outside of the book blogging world I have other interests (I know shock!).  Most of those interests revolve around either manga, anime or my multitude of television shows I enjoy.  Sometimes even the video games I play.

The only real connection between all my interests is my 'fan' behavior within 'fandom'.  At the recent Book Blogger Convention, during a panel the topic of 'fandom' was brought up and it had to be explained at one point to the audience members and panelists who had no idea what fandom is.  I've grown up in fandom; Star Trek as a child and later, when I learned the word for my obsessive behavior, the anime/manga community.

Don't think you know a fandom?  A few of the more recognizable fandoms in mainstream are Star Trek, Harry Potter, Star Wars and Twilight--these are the ones you always hear about whose fans are dressed as Storm Troopers or running around AK'ing folks left and right.

They also tend to be the ones who people label as the 'misfits', 'outcasts' and 'nerdy'.  In the young adult anthology more than a dozen authors came out and wrote stories about 'geeks', illustrating that geeks are really no different then anyone else.  Not that anyone should need that to be clarified, but still.

I grew up as one of those geeks.  Second to my (very small) school's knowledge of what a bookworm I am, was the knowledge that I was also the girl who used Star Trek references during history.  The girl who could name all 28 chinese constellations because of Fushigi Yugi, but couldn't remember the basic components in a simple chemistry equation.  I was pretty much alone in my actions however.  I would occasionally find someone else who was interested, but often our tastes would be so divergent it was almost as if we didn't share any interests at all.  Most of my fandom friends were online in fact, hundreds of miles away.

Years went by and guess what?  College changed things.  I met people who shared my passions, who were even more passionate then me and became more deeply involved in fandom.  I began cosplaying ('costume playing', dressing as a character from a series), writing fan fiction, joining RPG's (role-playing games) and spending hours in chat rooms discussing the smallest details of a new episode or chapter.  However my bookish fan self was still very timid, very withdrawn and uncertain.  I didn't meet my first author until 2005 (Maria V. Snyder had the honor).  The first year I attended Book Expo was 2007 and I spent most of it scared witless and certain someone would say 'You!  Yes you! Begone!' crying foul at me because I was an impostor.  I didn't begin reviewing books until late 2008.

But you know what?  Book fans are no different then any other fan base in the world.  Sure only certain books get costumed fellows (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter...) but have you ever seen a book fan in the throes of a passionate debate?  Or one who has met their favorite author?  I know how I feel--as if I'm meeting a celebrity because that's how I view authors.  I'd take lunch with my top 5 favorite authors over almost any Hollywood hunk you can mention.  Why?  Because books are my passion and when you have a passion for them...well you want to be around others who share that passion.

Questions:

1. Have you ever fangirl'ed over an author?
2. Do you believe in 'fandom'?  Are you an active participant in a bookish fandom?
3. If you could cosplay as one character from any book--who would it be?  Why?

And if there's any authors who read this:

1. Are there authors you still fangirl (or fanboy) over?
2. Best fan reaction you've ever received?