One day when I was browsing the Waterstones website, and I thought I would have a quick look at the events page and see if there was anything going on at the surrounding Waterstones....and low and behold there was :) :)
Harlan Coben was doing a signing on Thursday 10th April at 1pm and I couldn't believe it. I rang up Waterstones to see if tickets were needed for the event as in some cases they are, I was informed that this was not needed and it was just a case of turning up on the day. I started following WaterstonesBham on Twitter and the excitement was building up and till the very day. I started chatting to a girl called Laura who shared the same interests as me especially when it came to Harlan Coben.
Now you may ask why I was so excited to go to that signing, well anyone who goes to signings are pretty much excited anyway, but for me it was different. I had waited 10 years for this moment, yes you read that right, 10 years. I have been reading his books for the last 10 years after I spotted one in Waterstones Bham and it intrigued me, but I am one of these people that have to read the books from the beginning, so that's what I started doing. Since the I have been captivated by his books, not able to put them down till the very end and then when they are finished I find myself with an empty hole which needs fixing with another book. When he has been here doing other signings I have been unable to go due to University or work so I knew this was my chance.
So I had my plan of action for the day, I was going to get up early, catch the bus into Birmingham city centre, so I would get there for 9:30am when the shop opened, which meant I was able to buy the book and then get in the queue. What I didn't realise is that I would be the whole queue till around 11am.
So this was my view whilst I was standing there all alone, it wasn't too bad though as members of staff from Waterstones kept coming out to see if there was a queue left and we ended up having some little chats, one being about how early I was, my reply was I've waited 10 years to meet him, a few hours outside is nothing :) People then started to arrive, and not long after 11 Laura turned up with her mom. She had met Harlan at previous book signings but was still excited for today. A member of staff came round with post-it notes for us to write the name we would like signed in our books. As time passed, all of a sudden someone shouted, there he is, and there he was just casually walking down the street to the shop with his publisher. After about 10 minutes of him arriving, it was our time to go in, I was sooooo nervous, I get nervous anyway when I meet someone famous, but I think because I had waited so long to meet him, it just meant that little bit more.
So with book and camera in hand I made my way down to where he was about to start signing, the staff were brilliant and it seemed they each had their own job, one was ready to take pictures another was ready to take the book off you to pass it to Harlan. So I nervously walked up to him and shook his hand, he could tell I was really nervous and thanked me for coming. I then went onto explain to him that I had waited for this moment for 10 years and I had been waiting outside for nearly 4 hours which he couldn't believe. He was so lovely and really has a lot of time for his fans, we had a picture done and after he said to make sure it was fine and if it wasn't then to come back.
Me and Harlan Coben :) :) :) :)
My signed book :)
I was so happy to have met him, I then decided to go upstairs to the Crime Fiction floor to see if they had one of his books I've struggled to get hold of and it was there, I went to pay for it and the lady at the till asked if I knew that he was downstairs doing a signing. Which lead to me telling her the story of me waiting 10 years and that I had already been down and that I was first in the queue. She then pulled out from behind the till one of the poster boards which the put up, which advertises the signing, she asked if I wanted it as they normally get put in the bin after as they have no use for them, So of course I grabbed it with both hands. I then went back downstairs and rejoined the back of the queue to get the other book signed and also to see if you would sign the poster board. I did inform him when it was my turn again, that I wasn't stalking him and I wasn't crazy (well maybe a little) but just that I was making the most of this wonder day.
My signed poster board, in which he signed it 'To Kim, the coolest person I know'.
Overall this was one of the best days ever, I had waited 10 years for it and it was worth the wait. Harlan Coben was so lovely and really appreciates his fans. The staff at Waterstones were so friendly and welcoming you couldn't have wished for a better day. It will be a day that I always remember :)
