Jessica's Adventures At BEA

So, sadly I was only at BEA for Friday and Saturday . . . even though Saturday I avoided half the exhibit hall like the plague and we all know why. BOOKCON. But more on that later. Thursday I had to stay home in Maryland as I had to attend a wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner for my older brother who was getting married the Sunday following BEA (I know, I'm a little crazy). Even though I missed BEA I can safely say that Thursday was still as equally busy of a day here as it was in NY except I didn't get any cool books or meet any awesome authors or bloggers. But that's okay because I knew it was coming and I was excited.

BEA Book Haul

My NYC adventures start at attempting to leave Baltimore around 11:20 pm Thursday. This didn't happen. Our bus was late and it was raining. It kind of reminded me of my last adventure to/from NYC with Hannah from Irish Banana and Jen from Jenuine Cupcakes though a little less of a downpour. I ended up leaving around 11:50 pm and trying to sleep. I got maybe an hour plus but it wasn't the best sleep ever. I arrived in the city at 3:15 am and took a cab to the hotel I was sharing with my co-blogger, Sana, getting in the room roughly around 3:30 am and waking her up in the process (SORRY!!!!). Let's just say, sleep was basically non-existent for both of us. I got maybe three more hours after that (but we'll go with a closer to two hour estimate). I got a later start than I wanted the following morning but people, I need my sleep or I'm crabby so be thankful.

Hannah was texting me asking where I was. She missed me, I know, she really loves me. But don't worry, I got my badge and booked it to where the line had formed. Perfect timing to because I spotted Hannah and Jen walking away so I just stalked followed them until the stopped. We waited in line, tried to wake up as we were all exhausted, saw Ksenia from Macmillan who also looked exhausted as I felt and chatted for a few minutes. Then it was back to waiting, which was fine by me because I didn't really want any books (or so I thought) that were being dropped so I was planning to head over to Simon & Schuster for Becca Fitzpatrick's signing. But what do you know, Hachette was dropping The Walled City so me getting this made me cross off the signing on my list. So then I went over to line up for Becca and was one of the first 15 waiting - they were SUPER organized (I'm proud to say I did three signings with Simon on Friday and I loved each one and they're organization).

After Becca's signing I just walked around. Honestly, there wasn't a whole lot I was planning to pick up while I was there so I had a lot of free time to just . . . observe. It was the first year I was able to do this and let me tell you, it was so relaxing. I wondered around to booths, wanting to say hi to some of the publicists I've come to know over the past year but I didn't see any of them - totally bummed about that. But I made my rounds anyway, scoped out the new layout, as it changes every year. I had nothing to do until noon at this point, which was a galley drop of Sinner. 

The greatest thing about today was not having to wait in Sarah J. Maas' line, I would've done it except with going to the Bloomsbury party the following morning, I knew we were getting a copy of the book so it helped me from having to wait in that RIDICULOUS (in the best way possible) line. People started lining up at 9 AM - two hours ahead of time. Took a load of my shoulders and gave me the freedom to roam. I helped save spots in line for my co-blogger, Sana, while she had other signings to do (since I had nothing to do, why not be a great friend that I am). I then went over to wait in line for Kresley Cole's signing. I ADORE this woman, I really do. I need to read her adult stuff but I'm obsessed with YA series, which is what she was there to promote. I don't think she recognized me but I also noticed seemed awfully nervous but I was so excited to get my picture with her (and I got my hardcover books signed, too).

From there I was able to go to Martina Boone's signing for her debut book, Compulsion. We've 'met' a few times before officially meeting her and it was so nice to finally be like hi, I know you! She was really awesome (she really is and she's a local author for me) and I'm super excited for Compulsion. I'm so glad I was able to make it for the signing (which is also why I wanted to be near the front of the line for Kresley). Then I went straight from there to Heather Demetrios' line for Exquisite Captive and waited awhile for that. In the meantime, I noticed Spencer Hill was giving out tickets for Rachel Harris' signing for the Fine Art of Pretending (which Sana wanted to attend but wouldn't know if she could make it) so I grabbed her a ticket. See, with Spencer Hill, if you have a ticket, you're guaranteed a book so look at me, being a good friend again. :P

So all I had left to do was try for Scott Westerfeld's line for Afterworld's which was ABSOLUTELY INSANE. Longest line I was in for the day. But it was a lot of fun and I've never read any of his books buuuuuut he was super nice and this book sounds so awesome. It's like Inception for booknerds. Instead of a dream within a dream it's like...a book, within a book. I'm so down. 



That concludes my experience of MY day 1 of BEA (everyone else's day 2). Sana and I decided we wanted to go the BIG Books of Wonder signing that evening so even though we were starving, we shoved a granola bar or fruit snacks in our mouths and cabbed it to BoW. The authors there were Garth Nix, Jennifer Armentrout, Alethea Kontis, Maggie Stiefvater, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Gretchen McNeil and A.G. Howard. Awesome line up, right?! I thought so which is why I didn't want to miss it. Highlight of introductions was Maggie Stiefvater who got up on the table to talk about herself. But Maggie, as much as I adore her, wasn't my main reason for coming tonight. She's a local author for me and I'm already planning on attending one of her signings for Sinner but I did get her to sign my copy of Sinner I picked up earlier that day.

I was most excited about meeting A.G. Howard. You see, I am not really a fan of Alice in Wonderland but I gave Splintered a try and I am SO GLAD I did because I loved it. I couldn't wait to get my hands on Unhinged and while I was afraid I might not that because, really, how could it be as great and unexpected as the first book but it did. It lived up to and I fell in love again. It was also fantastic to see Jen again - as I love meeting her all the times I have. I was able to get my hardcover copy of Don't Look Back signed so I can add it to my Armentrout shelf because I have so many of her books already.

Saturday started nice and early (oh who am I kidding? It's BEA, every day is nice and early) with me heading to the Bloomsbury office for their Bloomsbury Blooger Breakfast. I was so excited for this because it was my first party invite (that I was able to attend). I was invited to Harlequin and Macmillan's party but Sana went in my place since I wasn't in NYC Thursday. I had met Lizzie and Erica the prior month and I was excited to see them again as well as Sarah J. Maas. It had almost been a year since I last saw her and interview her (along with Susan Dennard, Kat Zhang, Erin Bowman & Jodi Meadows). Plus, can we squeal over HEIR OF FIRE cause I am. Squealing. Still. I might have hugged the book, too. No pictures of that, though . . . sorry . . .

Sarah was absolutely awesome but all of her fans already know this. She may have petted my hair because she thought it felt like silk, lol! But I talked to her about being featured as the Author Spotlight in December and I've never seen an author get so excited over it. She was REALLY excited and I was really excited she agreed. I got a picture with her because her series is one of my all-time favorites and it's not even halfway over (I haven't read Heir of Fire yet so keep those spoilers away).

Did you know Sarah has her own book she wants readers to sign. I had no idea she had one but I knew Susan (her bestie) did because I remember signing it for her last year but alas, whether I signed Throne of Glass and don't remember or I didn't, I made sure to put my mark in her book this time.

Before I left, I made sure to take a book shelfie and their book shelfie station because, well, I had too. Plus, I mean, look at the beauty behind me! I did see a book on their shelf I *may* have drooled over (besides Heir of Fire) which was Alyxandra Harvey's new book coming out in October, Whisper the Dead. I love her books (especially her Drake Chronicles) and I can't wait to read this one.  

I make my way back to Javits center for what I know will be one crazy day for my last day of BEA which also happens to be the day of BookCon. Some of my friends already were tweeting about the hell that was called BookCon so I made sure to enter on the BEA side. It was a GHOST TOWN - it was so empty, it was creepy, actually. But then the closer you got to the entrance of BookCon, the louder it got so I braced myself and oh my! I had one thing to do Saturday and only one thing which was Jennifer Arementrout's signed for the Return. I'm a Seth fangirl and I NEEDED this book like I need air, I'm not even lying. Sana was nice enough to grab me a ticket so I met up with her to get it and went straight to the line to wait. It was just crazy but interesting to see. 

After that was done I met up with some of my friends who came for BookCon and went to lunch with them. We stayed at lunch for well over an hour and I was totally fine with that. I didn't want to go back upstairs and I was happy to just relax and catch up.


My last thing to do was attempt to meet up with Martina Boone to just sit down and talk. She was up in the VIP section which is AWESOME. I've never been up there (cause I'm not VIP or anything) but it was so cool to see it up there. Katie from Mundie Moms was there so I got to meet her, which was cool but also S.E. Green was there so I met her, too. And I feel bad because it didn't click until later why her name sounded so familiar. Talk about feeling like an ass but she was really cool. Martina gave me some awesome swag to go along with the book I got earlier and it was just nice to talk face to face.

I left with my suitcase and headed across the street to the Megabus bus stop to wait to head home. It was fun and it was too short (I didn't like missing a day) and I can't wait to return next year. Thank you so much Book Expo America for another fun adventure . . . until next year, my friends.

Cassandra Clare & Holly Black (her awesome hair) - click picture for larger size

 

Interesting advertisement in the bathrooms - click picture for larger size

My copy of Stone Cold Touch that Sana got for me - click picture for larger size

My copy of Talon that Sana got signed for me, Julie wanted to put something funny but couldn't think of anything!  - click picture for larger size