Let’s Talk About …

BEA. Book Expo America.

Last week I was one of the many (and I mean MANY) who were lucky enough to attend BEA. Wait, what is BEA you ask? For those of you who don’t know BEA is a publishing event that takes place every year in New York City. It’s probably the biggest publishing event in the U.S. And every book loving person is there – from publishers and publicists, librarians and bloggers, indie presses to library suppliers.

For three – four including the pre-meeting/convention day – straight days books and bookish folks take the Javits Center by storm in the hopes of catching some great panels, meeting their favorite authors, and picking up some highly anticipated books. It’s three exhausting days full of books and people who love books!

I didn’t get to go to the bloggers convention that took place Monday, June 4th. Admittedly, it was a bit disappointing, but I had other responsibilities that I had to keep. It’s the one event that I really wish I had attended. But there’s always next year.

Now, I’ll confess I’m not a BEA veteran. This is only my second year in attendance. Last year I attended one day out of three. Mainly because Ally Carter was signing Uncommon Criminals (which was reason enough for me to go).I can’t say which panels to check out, or which to avoid. I can’t tell you which publisher has the best swag. But I can tell you this – be comfortable, make the most of your day (or days) at BEA, don’t be afraid to ask, and be ready to change your plans at the drop of the hat.

I wish I had known these things then. But knowing them this year made for a better BEA experience.

Onto this year’s BEA highlights!

Tuesday, June 5th

Meeting Miss Print at The Donut Pub bright and early.

Picked up Libba Bray’s The Diviners (!!!) within the first twenty minutes into day one of BEA. (You just don’t know how long I’ve waited to get my grubby little hands on this book!)

Learned very quickly that Scholastic and all the wonderful people connected to it are AWESOME! True story, last year since Miss Print and I only attended one day we did miss out on some great signings and some great books. One of which was Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races. ARCs of The Scorpio Races were under tight wraps, but somehow we both managed to score a copy of it. This year, Maggie Stiefvater had another ARC – The Raven Boys – up for grabs, an ARC that was just as tight under wraps as The Scorpio Races. Yet again, the generous people of Scholastic gave us each a copy of The Raven Boys – hours before the signing was even taken place.

I walked right past John Green! Yes, the John Green! Not going to lie — totally had a fangirl moment. Like “OMG! There’s John Green!” (squeals and fans herself)

Coffee backpacks … enough said!

The awesome Gabrielle Zevin loved my Moo business cards!

Got to meet Andrea Cremer and get a signed ARC of Rift just minutes before her signing time was about to end, literally mintures before.

Met Judith Viorst for the second time!

Miss Print and I were actually able to eat! Which honestly, we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to do.

Scored a copy of beloved author’s R.L. Stine’s Red Rain, and even though I didn’t get it signed, I did get to actually see him, stood right next to him actually.

Learned ask and you shall receive. After checking out the Egmont booth, I realized there were no copies of Shadows (Book 2 of the Ashes trilogy by Ilsa J. Bick). So after asking, I received exactly what I was looking for.

Walked past John Green AGAIN! Hand another fan girl moment!

Met fellow bloggers from far and wide.

The Books:
Origin by Jessica Khoury, The Diviners by Libba Bray, Rift by Andrea Cremer, Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz, The Future We Left Behind by Mike Lancaster, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, False Memory by Dan Krokos, Beta by Rachel Cohn, Beautiful Lies  by Jessica Warman, Shadows by Ilsa J. Bick, Because it is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin, Red Rain by R. L. Stine, Amber House by Kelly Moore, The Golden Door by Emily Rodda, Wake by Amanda Hocking, Hourglass by Myra McEntire, The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, Princess Academy 2: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale, Zom-B by Daren Shan, The Blessed by Tonya Hurley, Eventide by Tracy and Laura Hickman, Gods and Wariors by Michelle Paver, The Farm by Emily McKay, Lulu Walks the Dogs by Judith Viorst, The Templeton Twins Have an Idea by Ellis Weiner, The Demon Catcher of Milan by Kat Beyer, The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano by Sonia Manzano

Wednesday, June 6th 

Had a new (borrowed) suitcase that was not ripped.

Found a less packed bag check on the lower level of the Javits Center. A bag check with nicer ladies working who don’t grab at your arms.

One of the first books I picked up was Chris Colfer’s Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. Even though I’m not a hugh Glee fan, I think he’s great, and have been super excited to read this.

Sarah Mass’s line was EPIC! It was great to see such an outcome for a debut author. Makes me even more excited to read Throne of Glass.

I made it work – I met, the one, the only Tim Gunn!!!

Diana Peterfreund ROCKS! Making me even more excited to read For Darkness Shows the Stars. Her signing was only a half hour long, only a mere thirty minutes. Because there were so many people lined up, she stayed way past her scheduled autographing time and finished signing coping for the rest of us at the back of the line.

Scored a copy of Marie Lu’s Prodigy … and it’s signed by Marie Lu herself!

While waiting to meet Marie Lu, bumped into Alecia Whitaker, author of Queen of Kentucky. Who I also interviewed right here on the blog. Found out she was telling another author friend about me/my blog. How awesome is that?!

Met Susane Colasanti and had a moment with her! And accidentally held up her very long line.

Found out that sometimes waiting until the very last moment of a signing session is the best way to go.

Found out people bond while waiting on super long lines.

Flashed a postcard to the lovely lady at Scholastic, not only did Miss Print and I pick up an ARC of The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron, but we also met the author Sharon Cameron and had her sign our ARCs.

The Books:

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass, Venom by Fiona Paul, Keeper of the Lost Cities by Sharron Messenger, The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron, Entice by Jessica Shirvington, The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal, Breed by Chase Novak, The Land of Storie: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer, Drama by Raina Telgemeier, The Innocents by Lili Poloquin, Crewel by Gennifer Albin, Prodigy by Marie Lu, Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti, For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund, Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone, Undead by Kristy McKay, 3 Below by Patrick Carman, Dark Lord by Jamie Thompson ,Magisterium by Jeff Hirsch, Altered by Jennifer Rush

Thursday, June 7th

Picked up a copy of all the ARCS I was hoping to pick up, some of them were even signed by the authors.

Author Eliot Schrefer and his monkey!

Kristin Cashore’s line was insanely long, but I still got to meet her and get a signed copy of Bitterblue.

Realized BEA forces you to read all those books that have been on your waiting list forever.

Even though Miss Print and I didn’t make it to Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys signing on Tuesday, we did make it to the signing she did with fellow authors Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff for The Curiosities.

Authors are my rock stars!

The last day didn’t seem as packed as the first two.

Made it out before the official close time, and was able to grab a cab relatively quickly.

Even though I didn’t make it to Victoria Schwab’s signing still managed to meet her, get a hug, and snap a picture!

The Books:

The Curiosities by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff, Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore, Surviving High School by M. Doty, Black City Elizabeth Richards, Skinny by Donna Cooner, Fathomless by Jackson Pierce, Ferocity City by Alissa Grosso, Cadillac Chronicles by Brett Hartman, Burn For Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, Endangered by Eliot Schrefer, In A Glass Grimmley Adam Gidwitz

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