themeryton:

“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”

John Green

(via theashleyclements)

They say you should never meet your idols. Generally, I tend to agree. There’s too much magic involved in developing so much admiration and affection for someone that you begin to look up to them. It’s just so very likely that these individuals cannot live up to your expectations. So easy for the to fail without ever consciously knowing that they had entered a race to match someone’s castle in the air.

But there’s always the exception to the rule. I got to experience my exception tonight.

John Green, young adult author and youtuber, read from The Fault in Our Stars in Frankfurt, Germany tonight. And it was awesome!

He was every bit as shy and awkward as I had thought he would be when he walked by us, the gaggle of fans who were waiting to be let into the room where the reading was to take place. During the reading he was funny and patient with the translator and flattering towards the young actress who read from the German version of his best seller. His sometimes self-deprecating, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes plain funny comments were on the spot and delighted the audience. And when he signed everyone’s books he complimented his fans, joked with them, and generally showed his awesomeness while never quite meeting anyone’s eyes.

He was every bit the shy but eloquent, nerdy but endearing, generous but attention-commanding person I had so hoped he would be.

Bottom line is this: I am not sorry I ‘met’ my idol, or rather my literary role model, tonight.

Thank you for an entertaining evening, Mr. Green. It was a pleasure.