When it comes to books and writing, Sarah J Maas is my hero. She is the reason I write and read, the reason I’m taking a degree in English and Creative Writing. Every choice I have made since I read her book Throne of Glass, four or three years ago, has been inspired by here. Because of Sarah J Maas I know that I want a career as an author.

So, you could say going to his book event was a pretty big deal for me. It was worth walking through the freezing in, worth waiting in line for an hour and a half amid hundreds of fans, battling the winter wind. Everyone says to never see your heroes in person, but after going to this event I would encourage people to do the opposite.

Listening to Sarah talk about how in high school she wasn’t very popular, how she wasn’t one of those insanely smart or talented people, yet she has managed to accomplish so much was awe-inspiring as I couldn’t help but relate (well not with the achievement part). Hearing her say how she would spend her days daydreaming about her books and her characters since she been writing Throne of Glass at 16, she’s now 32, helped us all to understand how long the series was in her head, how long it has been in the works.

Seeing her was also a bittersweet moment for me, as when I was in high school those who read books were often teased, social pariahs for having a hobby they enjoyed, so I did what everyone else would do, what most people actually did: I stopped reading. But one day I went looking for my friend in the library and I picked up Throne of Glass, sat down next to my friend and read it. Within two weeks I was completely caught up in the series and looking for more books to read while I eagerly awaited the release of Queen of Shadows. I haven’t stopped reading since, though I never did take my books into school.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of the lucky ones chosen to meet her, instead, I’ll just have to cherish the memory of the event and the pre-signed book I got. Maybe one day I’ll manage to bag tickets to a signing, her next two books come out in Autumn next year so my wait will be a long one, but until then I’ll just keep reading and writing, even more, motivated than before.