BEA Recap: The Books!

Cooking Class: A fun looking cookbook for kids - great pictures and lots of fun ideas

UnSlut: Important book for teens; part diary part memoir

Come Rain or Come Shine: My Grandmother used to love her books. I couldn't pass this up even though my Grandmother is no longer with us.

Truth According to Us: from one of the co-authors of the Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society

Legacy of Kings: Super fun looking teen fantasy novel from the historical time of Alexander the Great 

Royal Wedding: Perfect read of more Mia and Michael

Rogue Wave: Love this mermaid series - action, friendship, and romance

Infinite in Between: I'm excited to read this one about five teens and their entire high school experience.

Soundless: A new Richelle Mead based on Chinese Folklore. Looking forward to this one.

Queen's Hat: A great picture book that showcases London

Some thrillers and historical books that I picked up:

Duplicity

Personal

Alert

War of Two

President's Shadow: Book 3 in the Beecher White series 

Survivor

Most Dangers: Vietnam book from the author of Bomb!

Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party: Fun read about a Princess with fighting powers

Newt's Emerald: Super looking forward to this Regency read with magic

Sunny Side Up: A fun graphic novel about a girl spending the summer with her grandfather

Blackthorn Key: A boy attempts to decipher the clues his master left behind that might solve the murders happening. Really fun read.

Upside Magic: What happens when you're magic isn't like everyone else's magic? Really really cute read.

Superman 

Walk on Earth a Stranger: New trilogy about magic and Gold Rush

Play On: Baseball, Chemistry, Love, and Secrets = sounds really good.

My Secret to Tell: Another thriller from Natalie Richards.

Zeroes: the new Scott Westerfeld

Black Widow: Forever Red. Super excited to learn more about Black Widow

Daughter of Deep Silence: Smart revenge thriller that sounds awesome

A History of Glitter and Blood: Fairies and war and unlikely friendships

Letter to the King: Randomly picked this one up

Clayton Stone at Your Service: Secret agents

White Hots Kiss: from the Harlequin Teen Breakfast

Golden Match: book 2 that looks super cute.

Mariella Mystery: Picked up for a library friend

League of Unexceptional Children: Real kids getting stuff done

Simon Thorn: new MG from Aimee Carter about a boy who discovers a race of animal shape shifters

Voyagers: 39 Clues type book set in space

City of Thirst: Sequel to Map of Everywhere

Girl Who Could Not Dream: MG from Sarah Beth Durst about a dream shop

Foxcraft: Random pick up.

Heartbreakers: A musician and a girl meet and their lives change

Never Always Sometimes: From the Harlequin Teen breakfast

Hello?: From my awesome friend Liza

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between: awesome book - loved it (review coming soon)

Truly Madly Famously: book 2 in a series about an actor in a blockbuster movie based on a book

Some presents for people at work plus:

Hold Me:  the newest book in the Fool's Gold series

If You Only Knew: the new Kristan Higgins book

Redemption Bay: Book 2 in a series that starts with a Christmas novel

BEA Recap: Author Moments

This year at BEA, I had some great moments meeting and chatting with authors. Here are few pictures I snapped to remember.

The Harlequin booth always has a group of knock out authors. Two of my favorite romance writers were there, Susan Mallery (Fool's Gold) and Kristan Higgins. I was very happy to chat with both of them for a minute. I just finished Hold Me, the first in the newest Fool's Gold trilogy. And next up I'm going to read If You Only Knew.

I got a hug and a signed copy of Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between from Jennifer E. Smith which I read and LOVED. (Review coming soon.) 

My librarian friend snapped this picture of us.

I stood in line for ages for Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl! For some reason I had it in my head that it was a graphic novel. I'm happy to be wrong. I'm really excited to read this book - and happy for my signed copy. We talked about how Black Widow needs her own movie!

I've heard such great things about the Daughter of Deep Silence, so I was excited to meet Carrie Ryan and grab a copy.

Super happy to see Liza, whom I chat with on twitter signing her YA debut Hello? - which sounds like a fantastic friendship story and I can't wait to read it!

Carolyn Mackler was signing the Infinite In Between about five teens throughout their high school careers. I'm really excited about following their friendship for four years. Plus I'm really looking forward to her MG debut: Best Friend Next Door. (I  just ordered this from my local library)

I sat in Richelle Mead's line for almost 2 hours because the line started, I really wanted to read Soundless (fantasy based in Chinese folklore), and because I really needed to sit down and rest. It was perfect. I chatted with people in line, had a snack, and then hugged the book tightly. 

I was first in line - something that NEVER happens. 

I got the book signed for my father-in-law and he wrote a little note in it for me.

Super nice! 

photo credit: Pam Jaffee

After that, I wondered over to the line for Meg Cabot, happy I got up extra early for a ticket. 

Those of you who read this blog regularly, know that I'm a huge fan of Meg Cabot's - she's the reason I became a YA Librarian. 

We've met a few times before, so we snapped a picture. 

 I just finished Royal Wedding (and a re-read of the books prior to this one). We talked about that while I had the book signed for a friend.

It was the PERFECT ending for a fantastic conference. I couldn't stop smiling!

BEA Recap: 2015

I went to BEA this year with a library BFF. We took the train in SUPER early to be there on time. 

It was worth it of course. 

I started with the Harlequin Teen breakfast with this fantastic authors pictured above. Both authors and Harlequin people stopped by each table and chatted for a few minutes. We learned about several upcoming books (including a horror book crossed with the Little House series).  I'm super excited for Legacy of Kings but the others look fantastic too!

Sightings from the day include:

Raj from the Big Bang Theory

The actor from the Social Network (who played Zuckerberg) 

The adult Harlequin authors hard at work signing for the masses. 

That's Susan Mallery in the middle, of Fool's Gold fame. Love this series.

A fun book, similar to one from my childhood.

We headed for the hotel. Here's our sunset view. 

We ate dinner at a diner in the hotel - with this cute tea lights. 

I had hot chocolate French toast.

After a short rest, we ventured out into the city again.

Our Drinks:

Our Bedtime view

Day 2:

We got early for tickets. The shuttles from the hotel to the conference center were amazingly great and very helpful. It was another day of chatting with people in lines.

 There were some amazing books on Friday - and lots of amazing authors. I seriously wanted to clone myself because there was no way to see them all. 

The ones I didn't take home with me, I will stalk my public library for them. Also I was happy to learn about some new books.

Cool sign at the Sourcebooks booth

I was first in line for Brad Meltzer. 

This NEVER happens. And it was pretty cool. I saw him last year too, which is great.

Finally after a fantastic meeting with Meg Cabot, we left for the day.

The train ride back was uneventful until we finally stopped for diner.

Where I had this delicious meal. 

All in all, a fantastic two days. 

Other posts for BEA 15 will include, Books, Bags, and Author Moments. So be sure to check those out. 

BEA Bound: Get to Know Me

I'm heading to BEA Thursday and Friday

Here are some things you might not know about me:

1. I'm addicted to candy (dark chocolate and gummy treats)

2. Also I adore cupcakes, cannoli, cookies - you get the idea

3. Since I'm taking some time to write - I have the summer free (first time in 11 years I have no summer reading program  - which is both sad and relaxing)

4. I like going for hikes - day ones only, no camping here

5. I love visiting libraries around the country to see what they do, even when on vacation

6. I just started Instagram

7. I started a bucket list this year because of pop culture influences (TV shows and books)

8. I want to take a series of classes around the world: Pastry in Paris, Glass Blowing in Venice, Chocolate making in Switzerland

9. I'm addicted to Bath and Body works - their body wash and their creams. No matter how many I have, I always want more.

10. I'm also addicted to craft stores - now that I have some time off this summer, I hope to starting crafting much more!

And I'm pretty shy - but much more outgoing online.

If you see me, say Hi! I'll be on the lookout for you too.

BEA 2015

Happy BEA month - I'm getting excited about seeing old friends, new friends, and learning about upcoming books. In the past I've shared my tips with you, instead of rehashing them, I'm just going to link up. Check them out. 

2013 Tips:

Last Minute Tips

Food Ideas and How to get around the bag rule

Your Pitch: why you're important to talk to

Making your lists

2014 Tips:

One Week Way: Get your face out there!

Dos and Don'ts

On letting go of your plans

2015 Books:

Here's the PW list

Nicole made her awesome list:

Nicole Brinkley @nebrinkley · May 1

Your reminder that I have a masterlist of all things #yalit at #BEA15: http://bit.ly/bea15ya  Constantly updating!

If you're going to BEA, I hope to see you there!

If you have more questions, I'm happy to answer them. I've been going for years.