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| Jess at BEA ! |
After attending BookCon last year and not getting what we wanted out of the show, Kat and I decided to return to Book Expo America.
We took the train up and I started reading the break out YA novel The Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and Kat started buffeting a horde of paranormal romances including Alyssa Cole and Cynthia Eden.
BEA Bloggers Conference
The first time I went to the blogger’s conference in 2012 I was really impressed. They had round tables with authors and sessions with editors. In the years since I’ve found the information interesting but not super dynamic. At this point I only go to this event to meet other bloggers.
Kaye (AKA @GildedSpine) and Nicole from YA Interrobanghad an interesting panel about the harassment we’ve all seen going down on social media and I think this would have been a good keynote or topic all bloggers need to hear.
I did get some good advice at the Engaging Your Readers panel, where one panelist said to get readers to click you should “think about what you like” what makes you want to retweet and click ? I also learned about the micro e-newsletter site Tiny Letter.
There was also this bit of awkwardness during the blogger networking celebration where they announced that there was a limited number of galleys for each blogger. Before they allowed people to come up to the table they had to bring out the men in suits to do. . . ARC security ? IDK they seemed to not know what to do and probably thought we were all crazy book people.
BEA
I won’t go into a day-to-day recap, but during the show Kat and I wanted to be very selective over what we chose to pick up.The enthusiasm for YA is still present. . . but I did notice a bit less on the YA front.
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| Patrick Ness |
It’s still so hard to go up to publishers and ask questions because they are all so busy, but everyone was so gracious about directing me to the right person. I even did the thing I don’t like doing and asked a Simon and Schuster publicist about getting a Zebulon Finch galley.
A member of the editing staff at Sourcebooks Fire showed us some of their new titles. They have the best booth because they keep everything on display for you to see.
Kat went to the notorious Harlequin teen signing and after an hour wait was able to get a signed copies of 4 Harlequin titles–including Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry–which was one of her 15 Books We Can’t Wait for in 2015. They were also great about helping us connect with the romance publicist for our new romance sister blog Romance and Sensibility.
Kat’s BEA
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| Lex Luthor Jesse Eisenberg ! ! ! ! |
Figuring this is something I can only do once, I decided to go to Jesse Eisenberg’s signing. I won’t lie I didn’t know much about his book aside from the fact that it is a short story collection. But this year I’m looking to read more literary material. Eisenberg narrates my favorite audiobooks. Which yes, I told him. It was funny, one of the women in line was turning red and close to tears of joy after meeting him.
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| The Harlequin Teen Signing |
I also grabbed signed titles from I. W Gregorio and Lamar Giles, it was so awesome to see the crew from We Need Diverse Books with a long line of excited readers.
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| 2015 YA Buzz Book Authors |
Since I missed the YA Editor’s Buzz Panel I went to the Meet the YA Buzz Authors. Everything, Everything seems to be getting the biggest push, it had 3 separate drops and tote bags.
In Conclusion
Overall I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to BEA again this year, but it’s always so great seeing and meeting other people who care about YA, it’s like we have our own language and shared experiences. After going my blogging battery has been recharged
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| Margaret Stohl signing
Black Widow Forever |
At the Harlequin Adult signing they ran out of books, which was fine with me but Jodi Thomas got up from behind the table, apologized for being out of books and introduced herself to those in line which I thought was super gracious.
P.S I also stopped by M&M World and made blog-inspired M&Ms. Because. . . reasons.
Check out these blogs and websites
I met Angela from Angela’s Library on the floor before BEA Bloggers. Thanks for introducing yourself !
At breakfast we shared a table with Carrie and her mom from The Mad Reviewer
For lunch I met some women from local book review websites and Becoming Books
Read This Eat Thatwas the first person I saw with the nifty look Illumine ARC.
In the line for coveted Alexndra Barcken Passenger I met Tiffany, an artist musician and writer check her out at ariestrash.comher site is so pretty !
Editor, Feliza and her crew over at Girls In Capes discuss women, men & minorities in geek culture.
I met booktuber Tiffany from About To Read.
I creeped up a little on Jess Martinez Gone With The Words at bag check, I remembered her name from an ARC swap Kat did.
I also met Kel fromBooked Til Tuesday and Mandy from Forever Young Adult in the Gwenda Bond line
I feel like I”m forgetting someone, let me know !
