- Get there first thing in the morning when the doors open. Publishers are more likely to have books at the booths.
- Get the BEA app for your mobile phone so you can get alerts about ARC drops at the booths.
- Leave yourself plenty of time to stand in line for book signings.
- If all else fails, go ahead and ask for the ARC at the booth.
Heading to ALA, I had two goals.
- Don't make a fool of myself at the panel with Scott Westerfeld.
- Grab a bunch of ARCs for AYAP readers.
I'm still not sure about item 1, but applying what I'd learned at BEA to ALA worked like a charm. I've got two boxes coming via UPS, and each box weighs twenty pounds. And those books will all be headed your way in the next few months!
So what else happened at ALA?
I got to hang out with Lisa Gail Green, Leslie Rose, and the newest member of the AYAP team, Katharyn Sinelli on Thursday night. We had an amazing dinner--it was Leslie's birthday!--and then talked until five in the morning. They are the BEST kind of friends, the kind you can share with as if it has been a day since you've been together no matter how long it has really been. Of course we talked about writing and some upcoming news from Lisa that will (hopefully soon!) blow you away! And we read the first two chapters of Scott Westerfeld's Afterworlds aloud. We decided that Chapter Two it is actually the perfect illustration of how to balance character and action in an opening. Seriously. I can't wait for you all to be able to read it!
Lisa Gail Green, Katharyn Sinelli, and Leslie Sullivan Rose |
Katharyn, there in the center, will be helping out with author scheduling and contests. She is a sometimes English professor whose scholarly work examines the stories we tell about disease. Currently she is writing YA fantasy, and I expect you will be hearing lots of good publishing news from her soon.
Martina Boone, Shannon Greenland, Holly Black, Kimberley Griffiths Little |
On Friday, I joined up with Shannon Greenland (S.E. Green/KILLER INSTINCT) and Kimberley Griffiths Little (FORBIDDEN) at the Wynn Hotel. On our way down to dinner, we ran into Holly Black, and I proceeded to fangirl out on her. (Yes, it was bad. :() But she was incredibly gracious and kind.
Shannon Greenland, Kimberley Griffiths Little, Ellen Hopkins, Claudia Gray, Martina Boone, Tracy Clark |
Michael Sedgwick accepting the 2014 Printz Award for Midwinterblood |
On Saturday I finally headed over to the convention center, and there was COMPULSION on the wall of the booth. Isn't it pretty? And happy-making (in Uglies-speak). There's my book up there with Scott Westerfeld's, Becca Fitzpatrick's, and Cassie Clare's. It's insanely wonderful, and I'm still expecting someone to shout April Fool's any day.
Compulsion on the convention floor! |
![]() |
Hannah McBride and Martina Boone |
![]() |
YASeriesInsiders Martina Boone and Tracy Clark |
Life-size flower carousel at the Wynn |
After a bit of rehearsal with Shannon and Kimberley where we worked on the Powerpoint presentation for our upcoming promotion tour this fall, I did a quick change and headed down with Shannon and our lovely publisher, Mara Anastas, for the book signing.
![]() |
Signing Compulsion before the panel |
After the panel, we got a chance to meet the librarians who had been in the audience at a series of round-tables. It was especially a treat to get to meet Jaime Arnold from Two Chicks on Books--along with her mother. They were delightful, and very kind--as were all the librarians.
![]() |
Martina Boone, Shannon Greenland, Jason Reynolds, CJ Flood, Brendan Kiely and Scott Westerfeld |
After that it was off to dinner with our publishers and the authors from the panel. Unfortunately, I didn't get to take any photos there because I left my phone in the room--which made it even worse when I finally got to meet Laini Taylor, Jim DiBartolo, and Maggie Stiefvater afterwards! AAAAH. Cue more awkward fangirl moments. The BIGGEST awkward fangirl moments. But looking on the bright side, I figured I had now met all my favorite, favorite authors and humiliated myself sufficiently that I can figure the worst is over.
I tested that theory at the Simon & Schuster dessert party with Judy Blume and Judith Viorst. And I didn't physically drool on either one of them, so that was a bonus.
Overall, it was an epic weekend, and affirmed for me yet again how incredibly lucky I am to have ended up at Pulse. Mara Anastas, Mary Marotta, Lucille Restino, Michelle Leo, Candace Greene, Katy Hershberger, Anthony Parisi, and the support team both at ALA and back in New York made the trip truly wonderful. (THANK YOU!)
THIS WEEK'S GIVEAWAY
I've got a copy of Maggie Stiefvater's SINNER for you, complete with her signature and the hand drawn book wrapper she did just for preorders and special events.
by Maggie Stiefvater
released 7/1/14
Scholastic Press
A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.
Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?
a Rafflecopter giveaway
LOVE the photos! The one with Compulsion rocks, of course!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for giving us a look into this awesome event and all the signings!!
Thank you :)
Thanks, Christina! And the forty pounds of books are arriving today. I can't wait -- I don't even remember what's in the boxes, but I do remember some AMAZING stuff.
DeleteOh wow. Sounds like one of those scenarios you would need a clone of yourself for hahaha. If only that were possible :P
ReplyDeleteYou aren't even kidding! Literally, between the panels and the signings, I wanted to be six places at once.
DeleteLooks like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteIt was definitely fun, but I think you probably have ego go more than once for it to be really amazing. At least for me, I was too busy walking around dazed and wide-eyed! : )
DeleteThanks for the giveaway! I would love to have the hand-drawn jacket >_<. I would sell an organ XD.
ReplyDeleteWell, I actually have three copies. (Shhh!) So stay tuned!
DeleteWould love to win an autographed copy of SINNER!
ReplyDeleteLooks fun
ReplyDeleteI would love this book! And I'm super jealous of your ALA trip.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Maggie Stiefvater. Thanks for the giveaway! I think BEA would be a dream come true.
ReplyDeleteI've not gotten to attend BEA or ALA. I'm thinking I might go for it in the next year or two so I love reading all of the hints/tips that make it a success. Forty pounds of books! Could you take a picture of all of them once they arrive so that we can drool over them.
ReplyDeleteI will -- I'll even try to remember to actually use Instagram. Sigh. : )
DeleteI would love to attend both these conferences, especially to meet authors and bloggers I know. Sounds like a fantastic time.
ReplyDeleteOh, Natalie! I would SO love to meet you in person!!!! You totally should go! Or even go to YALLFEST in November. There will be a zillion NYT bestselling authors there and the panels are amazing!
DeleteSomeday I'll get to ALA and BEA and all those fun bookish and writerly places!! Thanks for the update.
ReplyDeleteI would love to go to one of these conventions! One day :)
ReplyDeleteI loved the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy! I'm sure going to love this spin-off s well.
ReplyDelete(Rawr! Cyberspace ate my comment.) Trying again...
ReplyDeleteHow awesome you got to go (jealous!!!--Maggie Stiefvater?!), and thanks so much for sharing your experiences and photos so we can join in vicariously with you. :) Looks like you had a blast!
LOVED your recap - and loved sharing a hotel room and hanging out with you all over again, Martina! Great pics. I always kick myself for not getting more. And you got WAY MORE ARCs than I got at BEA and ALA combined. YALLFest here we come, November!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a blast! Thanks for sharing all your photos and the recap.
ReplyDeleteBest birthday present EVER getting to spend it with you, Martina. It was great meeting new peeps and seeing old friends. There's something magical about being with tons of people who live and breathe books.
ReplyDeleteOh, really fun insights! And I love those photos from the event. It looks like it was wonderful - plus, BOOKS!
ReplyDeleteI would love to go to a book conference, it looks like such fun! It would be really awesome to meet all my favorite authors!
ReplyDeleteBook conference in Vegas so fun! I can't wait to revisit the Shiver world and read Sinner.
ReplyDeleteSounds like another wonderful experience. Don't worry, soon it will be your readers fangirling all over you! :-)
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Love your blog and everything you keep us updated on!
ReplyDeleteThanks for ze giveaway<3
ReplyDeleteI loved The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy so I am so eager to get my hands on Sinner! Thank you so much for the chance to win this amazing prize! :)
ReplyDeletePSYCHED about Sinner. Maggie Stiefvater just keeps getting better! (And those hand-drawn book cover thingees are gorgeous.)
ReplyDeleteThe hand drawn book wrapper is so gorgeous I love it! Thank you so much for the giveaway you are absolutely amazing!
ReplyDeleteSounds as if you had a truly wonderful time! Thanks for the opportunity to win a signed copy of SINNER.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway! I love the book wrapper! :)
ReplyDeleteI've never been to any author event so I imagined I would be going a bit crazy (in a good way) if I ever attended ALA! Sounds like you had so much fun =).
ReplyDeleteAs someone who wants to be a writer, experiencing this through your eyes and seeing the pictures, it's just amazing! I couldn't even imagine. And thank you so much for the giveaway. Even if I'm no fortunate enough to win, it's incredible that you do things like this to fulfill our reading addictions. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is so awesome! You are so awesome!!
ReplyDelete