Recap: BEA and BookCon #BEA16 #BookCon

I'm back home in Tennessee today - I flew in this morning super early, and let me tell you, the security lines at O'Hare did suck. Anyway, as I sit here and pet Joey (the cat) and think back on the past few days, I think I can honestly say that BEA16 and BookCon were two of the best experiences of my life. I got to do a lot of things I hadn't done, and I met some amazing people (authors, TV stars, musicians, educators, "regular" people). Going to the events kind of renewed my faith in humanity, and while I did feel that the autograph ticketing process for BookCon could have been a bit more organized (8 lines all shoved on one side of the room when they had a whole other half of a room that wasn't being used and they could have easily put 4 over there and gotten rid of the congestion), the overall event was enjoyable. Also, even though I got off to a rough start at BEA, I figured out what I was supposed to do and ended up loving it.

BEA Recap:

1. I got to meet and interview a musical legend, Whisperin' Bill Anderson, who ended up being one of the kindest and most inspirational people I've ever met. 
2. I got to meet and have  The Raven King signed by one of my absolute favorite authors, Maggie Stiefvater, and she was so adorable and sweet. I've wanted to meet her for years, and I'm so happy that I finally got to. 
3. I got to interview JLA, who was also amazingly nice, and learn some good tips about writing. I figured who better to ask tips from than one of the hottest authors out there.
4. I got a ton of books that I can't wait to read and review. I will be holding a giveaway for many of the books that I got at BEA, after I read and review them. I don't have room to store everything, haha. 
5. I got to meet Sharon Cameron, who is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. I absolutely adore historical fiction, and her alternate realities and historical novels are just mindblowing. 
6. I got to try out virtual reality for the first time at the Neoglyphics booth, and I was able to learn about some of the creative ideas they have for publishing fully immersive fictional worlds. I am really excited about the work they're doing, and I can't wait to read and review their book, Sunborn Rising. 
7. I got to meet a lot of the people who work at my favorite publishing houses: Disney, Abrams, Hachette, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster; Macmillan, Scholastic, Penguin, etc. Every single person I met (aside from the grumpy interns, haha) was so nice and helpful. It was obvious that they were happy to be there and so excited to get the books they're publishing out to people. I really liked that. It really humanized the publishing houses for me. Until now, I'd only interacted with everyone from behind computer screens, so it was nice to actually get to know some of the people in person as opposed to through email only. 
8. I found some amazing new stores that sell bookish things. Litographs and Out of Print are two of my new favorite t-shirt and accessory shops. You should definitely check them out. 

BookCon Recap:

BookCon was more like the comic conventions that I'm used to, so it made a lot more sense to me in some ways. Security was tighter, lines were longer, and it was more fan-based than industry-professional based. That being said, I made some new friends while waiting in those long lines, and I got to meet some amazing authors there, too. It was also a lot of fun, and in addition to having the hottest authors out there doing panels and signing books, BookCon upped their awesomeness by chartering one of my favorite local bookstores, Anderson's Books in Naperville, to sell all of the books at the convention. I love it when people and events shop locally, and they could have chartered Barnes and Noble or Amazon or some other huge book supplier. The fact that they chose Anderson's made me have a whole new respect for the BookCon brand and the event planning company that manages the event. 

1. I got to meet one of my absolute favorite authors, and a man whom I respect greatly: Sherman Alexie. Not only did I get to meet him, he was so nice to me. He asked me if I wrote, and I told him I was trying to. Then he said one of the nicest things ever to me: "You'll finish the book. I hope that one day I see you at one of these events signing your novel." That meant so much coming from someone who is a NYT Bestselling, award-winning author. Especially because he is bringing American Indian rights into the living rooms of people who never thought about the fact that our history is wrong and that large, important parts are omitted, and that is so important. He does this with a humor and grace that captivates all who read his work. He's one of the best storytellers of this generation. 
2. I got to meet the Scott Brothers (Property Brothers). They were so nice. They came out and talked to the audience randomly so that people wouldn't get impatient. I know that this sounds dumb, but they actually are a lot like they are on TV. I know it's a reality show and scripted, but the show seems to be a decent representation of their personalities. 
3. I bought way too many bookish things. Every place had a sale going that day, so I got tons of t-shirts and socks. 
4. I got to learn a ton about historical fiction because of the panels. BookCon had some seriously good panels. I didn't get a chance to make many of them because I was in signing lines, but the Historical Fictions for Teens was a really good one. It made me rethink how I wanted to write a historical fiction idea I have. 

Overall, this was a really fantastic trip. I loved going to BEA and BookCon, and I can't wait to attend one or both again next year. Look for a giveaway coming up soon. I leave you with a couple of pictures.

My Second Day at BEA #BEA16

My second day at BEA went a lot better than my first. I managed to get my coffee this morning without dumping it everywhere, and even though I missed getting a Maggie Stiefvater ticket, I was lucky enough to get a copy of The Raven King signed anyway because they had some extra books. Overall, it was a great day.

This morning, I went early to get autograph tickets, but the ones for all of the authors I wanted were already gone. Clearly everyone else wanted to meet those authors, too. I wandered around for awhile and understood why everyone gets in line first thing in the morning: that's when all of the ARCs are out. I found the shipping area and started my own box of books, which I added to throughout the day. I still stuck to my policy to only get the novels that I intended to read and review, but I had so many more choices today since I got there early. I went to the Maggie autograph line in hopes of lucking out and being one of the few unticketed people to get a book signed, and I was! I tried and (barely) succeeded and not fangirling at her. I didn't squeal in her face or squeal at the guy who was handing out books. I was pretty proud of myself for that. She's one of my absolute favorite authors, so it was amazing getting to meet her.

I got a few more books signed randomly, and I'm really excited about a lot of the ARCs I got. I can't wait to review them. I'll do a little mini spotlight on all of them when I get home. Right now they're all in a box, on the way to my house, and I can't remember all of the titles.

This afternoon, I went back for round two and got some more books signed. I stood in line at the Hachette booth and rolled the dice for a free ARC and got the one I really wanted, which was awesome. Then I finished up my shipping box and got it ready to mail. After that, I went to the RWA booth for the JLA signing. I had an interview with her afterwards, and my feet were killing me, so I actually asked, "can I just park it over here until you're done?" I really hope that didn't come across as awkward and rude. I just am so bad at peopling. Sigh. Anyway, I sat there and waited on her to finish her signing, and she's so nice to her fans. It was really cool to see how she treated everyone like a long lost friend. Also, her hair is gorgeous. Totally jealous of it. Anyway,  I probably looked like a creeper/stalker sitting on the ground next to her autograph table, but that's fine. I didn't care. I'm pretty sure I'm part cat anyway, so creepy is in my nature. After she got done signing Forever with You, we went to one of the standing tables and did the interview. She was so nice and personable, and I learned a lot about writing from her answers. I can't wait to get the interview transcribed for all of you guys to see.

After my interview with JLA, I came back to my hotel room and put my feet up. I have to get an early start for Book Con tomorrow. I am determined to get a Sherman Alexie autograph ticket, AND an autograph ticket for the Scott Brothers! Once again, if any of you see me wandering around Book Con, please stop me and say hi.

Don't Forget to Stop By Capstone's Booth Today!

For those of you who are here at BEA, don't forget to stop by Capstone's Booth! They have some really awesome things going on.

 

It's the final day of BEA 2016 - Don't miss the events at Capstone's booth #2325 today!

 

9:00AM - GIVEAWAY of Pedro, First Grade Hero - Spend some time with Pedro, Katie Woo's fun-loving friend. From a buggy disaster to a run for class president, Pedro has what it takes to be the hero of first-grade. No matter what he's doing, Pedro is always good for some laughs and adventure. Fran Manushkin is the author of many popular picture books, including Baby, Come Out!; Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story; The Tushy Book; The Belly Book; and Big Girl Panties. There is a real Katie Woo - she's Fran's great-niece - but she never gets in half the trouble of the Katie Woo in the books. Fran writes on her beloved Mac computer in New York City, without the help of her two naughty cats, Chaim and Goldy.

 

11:00AM - ARC SIGNING - Stephen Krensky signing copies of his new book WE JUST HAD A BABY - It’s not easy getting used to a new baby in the house. Everyone in the world thinks whatever the baby does is amazing! And if you aren’t the baby, everyone acts like you’re invisible. This clever, funny picture book is told from a slightly older sibling’s point of view. The observations about living with a new sister or brother are poignant, spot-on, and will make even the youngest reader chuckle.

 

1:00PM - GIVEAWAY of LAZY CRAFTERNOON - The newest entry in Capstone's popular Craft it Yourself series. Spend a lazy crafternoon with your friends. From pretty school supplies to colorful tech accessoriest to perfect party decor, Lazy Crafternoon guides tween crafters through simple stesp to create amazing projects. 

 

Hope to see you at booth #2325!

 

All the best,

 

 

April & Courtnay - IWPR Group for Capstone

IncrediBuilds:Sneak Peek at BEA!

INCREDIBUILDS, A NEW 3D MODEL LINE,

LAUNCHES AT RETAIL JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER

--MULTIMEDIA PUBLISHING COMPANY, INSIGHT EDITIONS,

TAKES LEAP INTO THE TOY AISLE--

San Rafael, California (May, 3 2016): Multimedia publisher Insight Editions is launching a new line of 3D wood models and educational guidebooks called IncrediBuilds. Available at leading retailers, including Barnes & Noble, this new innovative building line includes a wide variety of assemble-it-yourself, customizable, freestanding 3D wood models and companion books and booklets that features some of today’s hottest characters, monuments, and animals. Composed of Earth-friendly FSC-certified wood, IncrediBuilds also offer an eco-friendly building alternative that doesn’t require glue or cumbersome tools and is easy to color and customize, resulting in artwork ideal for display.
“The IncrediBuilds line builds off of our experience in creating engaging and visually immersive experiences beyond publishing with the launch of a crafting line that stimulates creativity, imagination, and learning,” says Raoul Goff, Publisher and CEO. “We’ve developed a quality product that opens the door to a greater, more creative world for those young and old. By encouraging kids to explore, design, and build, IncrediBuilds also helps foster an early love of STEAM.”

Crafts and activities offered with a line like IncrediBuilds that reinforces Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) help prepare kids for the real world by building important spatial, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. IncrediBuilds also encourages children to express their artistic side. “Parents feel good about activities that support STEAM, such as the IncrediBuilds, because they recognize the developmental benefits of the product,” Raoul Goff, Publisher and CEO, adds.

Children, adults, and hobby-enthusiasts can construct their own IncrediBuilds alone or with friends, making them the perfect rainy day or party activity. No glue or tools are necessary to build the unique models, and each set comes with instructions and decorating tips.For added value, some sets also feature a deluxe hardcover book filled with fun facts, full color illustrations, and coloring and crafting ideas for customization.
IncrediBuilds will be available July 2016 at  nationwide at leading retailers including Barnes & Noble, ranging in price from $14.99 to $19.99). For more information about the line, please visit http://www.IncrediBuilds.com or follow/like us on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/IncrediBuilds
Twitter: @Incredi_Builds

 About Insight Editions
Insight Editions celebrates cultural milestones in film and television, gaming, music, art, comics, and sports through immersive and imaginatively designed books, collectibles, journals, scrapbooks, and other innovative offerings. By combining the highest quality production values with the time-honored traditions of publishing rich subject matter, Insight Editions is committed to creating unique products that offer readers engaging new ways to experience their favorite films, games, or artists. Beautifully designed and informative, products from Insight allow fans to learn and use their imagination to create and expand beyond familiar worlds. In 2016, Insight Editions launched IncrediBuilds, a 3D wooden modeling line that features some of today’s most popular characters, monuments, and animals.

Book Con Chicago has added even MORE amazing authors to its line-up

Book Con is being held in Chicago this year, in conjunction with BEA, and there are some amazing authors set to participate in panels, autographs, meet and greets, and much more. You do not want to miss this event! In addition to the authors, the PROPERTY BROTHERS will be there for a panel *completely fangirls*. Ahem, excuse me and my HGTV obsession. You can check out all of the amazing panels here.

In addition to the panels, there will be tons of authors on hand signing autographs and conducting meet and greets. You can check out that schedule here! The meet and greet/in booth signings can be found here. 

The authors participating in Book Con this year include the following:

Alexandra Bracken	Kami Garcia	Marissa Meyer
Alyson Noël	Kendra Blake	Meg Cabot
Cassandra Clare	Laini Taylor	Melissa de la Cruz
Colleen Oakes	Lauren Oliver	Pierce Brown
James Dashner	Leigh Bardugo	Richelle Mead
David Levithan	Maggie Stiefvater	Sabaa Tahir
Ann M. Martin	Victoria Aveyard	Sherman Alexie
Veronica Roth	Susan Dennard	Sarah J. Maas

I am so excited about so many of these authors! It has always been a dream of mine to meet Sherman Alexie, so this will be a fantastic experience. I'll cover Book Con in addition to BEA, so you guys won't miss out on any of the news! I hope to see tons of you there!

BEA 2016 Press Releases

You guys heard right, I'm going to BEA 2016 I've been waiting on it to come to Chicago for years, and even though I don't live there anymore, I'm going back to cover the show! Super excited. Here are some updates that I've gotten so far:

Bloomsbury Author Events:
Don't miss these Bloomsbury authors at BEA! Christine Sneed on the “Hot Fall Fiction” panel Fri. 5/13, 12:15pm, on the Downtown stage for The Virginity of Famous Men Autographing Area signings: 5/12, 2:00pm, Table 3: Elizabeth Eulberg, The Great Shelby Holmes; 5/13, 10:00am, Table 6: Danielle Paige, Stealing Snow; 5/13, 11:00am, Table 6: Jeff Giles, The Edge of Everything

Bloomsbury BEA Galley Giveaways:
-Adult titles: Mad Enchantment, The Secrets of Wishtide, The Blind Astronomer’s Daughter, and The Virginity of Famous Men 
-Children's/YA titles: The Great Shelby Holmes, The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart, Stealing Snow, and The Edge of Everything

I can't go to BEA :(

Hey everyone. I know I promised coverage of BEA, but a family emergency has occurred, and I am unable to travel to NYC for the event. I am so freaking disappointed, but hopefully I can go next year. Reviews will still be posted as they've already been scheduled. Otherwise, I will be MIA until this emergency is resolved. Thanks for understanding/reading/commenting/being fantastic. I promise to be back in full force soon!

BEA Autographing Schedule

For those of you who don't know, I am going to BEA this year as a member of the press! I am so excited. This will be my first time there! I just saw the autograph schedule, and it looks AMAZING!

Check it out!