MY BEA 2014 Experience!

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to attend Book Expo America in New York City for my sixth year in a row.  It is an amazing experience for any book nerd.  Truly!  This year, my friend Kim and I booked a fancy schmancy hotel room at the Kitano New York so we got into the city on Thursday night and were able to sleep in (well for an extra hour and a half, at least) and go straight to the Javits via taxi.

...well after some shocked exploration of our hotel bathroom's bidet, that is... I'd never actually seen one in real life and found it quite...terrifying intimidating. I finally gave in and tried it on our second night in the room...and I'm still not sold on the idea.

MOVING ON, LOL.

This year, I FINALLY got to go to BEA for more than one day.  It was phenomenal because it relieved some of the frantic pressure of trying to fit everything (ALL the books, ALL the authors) into one day.   It was, however, also terrifyingly packed on Saturday because of BookCon.  Don't believe me?  Check out these crowds! We actually left early on Saturday because we just couldn't take it any more.  I'm so glad it was day two so I felt like I'd already done and seen enough that I COULD leave early...

So, what did we do and see during those two days?

Well... I met, I mingled, I schmoozed, and I schlepped.  I came out with 53 books, 1 audio book, 3 chapter samplers, 7 tote bags and various swag.  I got my photo taken in the most awesome "Photo Booth" at the Open Road Media booth... because I absolutely believe that BOOKWORMS RULE!! I met some amazing authors, including Scott Westerfeld, Julie Kagawa, Jackie Morse Kessler, Kiera Cass, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, A.G. Howard, S.S. Taylor, and Elizabeth Kelly Gillihan.  I got a little crazy in the crowds, but I survived to tell the tale!

All in all, it was AMAZING and exhausting, as it is every year and I may or may not have been both manic and half-asleep on the train rides both there and back...

So...that's the quickie version of my experience this year.  I'm planning to start reviewing the picture books that I received this year tomorrow...and I hope to progress to the longer YA and adult books within the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for some reviews of great upcoming books!!

And, just because I want to share some of the other photos I took at BEA...here you go!

Meeting A.G.Howard, author of Splintered!

Meeting Jackie Morse Kessler, another favorite author!

Meeting Kiera Cass, author of The Selection!

Meeting authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke with their upcoming debut, Your Perfect Life. 

Meeting S.S. Taylor and Katherine Roy, the author and illustrator of the fabulous
middlegrade steampunk "Expeditioners" series!

As I said, I'll be posting reviews and recaps of the books that I got in the next few weeks, so keep checking back!