BEA 2014 Recap: Part 2

Thursday & Friday

May 29 & 30

Thursday morning came way too early, but nonetheless, the 5 women in my room scrambled to get out the door. My mom and aunt headed over to the taping of Live with Kelly and Michael while Jen, Gabrielle and I got our stuff together and headed to the Javits for day one of BEA. 

Thankfully we had all been invited to the Harlequin TEEN breakfast again this year - an event that was a big highlight for all of us last year. I cannot express my total and utter love for the folks at Harlequin TEEN. Not just the authors (although they're amazing, too), but Tashya, Lisa, Annie, T.S., Margo and Jennifer, you guys are rockstars and I adore you all. Any chance I can hang out with you, I will.

I loved the round-table, speed-dating set up. We got 5 minutes with an author or editor before they switched tables. So I got to see Jen Armentrout (who I love), Julie Kagawa (adorable!), Adi Alsaid (so sweet), Robin Talley (super-talented), Alexandra Addornetto (gorgeous), and


Dawn Metcalf (such a doll) in addition to the fabulous people listed above. Plus we got an awesome tote - this was seriously the year of the tote for BEA goers - with copies of several books inside. 

After this, Gabrielle and I headed upstairs and got in line for the Harlequin signing that had Jeaniene Frost and Ann Aguirre amongst others. We took turns wandering around and jumping in and out of lines, popping by booths and saying hello to people. I loved how relaxed I felt this year - I didn't feel that overwhelming urge to hit every single signing ever. 

I was able to grab a few books I was really excited about (like Stone Cold Touch) and I also managed to avoid being mugged for having this little beauty in my bag all day:

But that wasn't for BEA - that was for the #YAParty happening later that night. After a few more signings and wandering, we left and headed to the hotel to get ready for the MacKids Happy Hour.

This is one of my favorite parties (possibly because it's hosted by one of my favorite people, Ksenia) and I loved that so many of my #YADC friends were in attendance. I was able to bounce around and mingle with some awesome people (OK, maybe not bounce since my foot was about to explode from pain), but then I had to duck out early with Andye (and Jen & Gabrielle) to help go get ready for the #YAParty.

Last year I was a last-minute add on to an awesome party known as the "Rooftop Party" by Liza Wiemer - someone I barely knew at all, save for a few comments, tweets and emails. Fast forward to this year and Liza (and Andye) asked me to help them plan and organize the YA Author/Blogger Party. I had an absolutely blast and nearly bruised multiple ribs laughing while planning with these two, but the night of the party everything came together better than I think any of us expected.

We recruited my mom and aunt (Gabrielle's grandmother) to help - they were the crazy ladies who checked people in and handed out name tags. So having them there with me was an added bonus.

The party was a huge success. So many bloggers, authors, and publishers coming together for an awesome night of fun thanks to Liza. I finally had a chance to reconnect with a lady I absolutely adore, Cara Lynn Shultz (author of The Dark World), and we may have re-enacted a scene from Dirty Dancing that was filmed. I learned some fascinating info from Michelle Madow (whose index finger is the same size as my pinkie), and was able to hang out with authors like Josephine Angelini, Amy Plum, Jennifer Armentrout, Danielle Ellison, and so many more!

#YAParty

Hannah & Josie Angelini

Marie Rutkoski & Damaris

Hannah & J2 

Hannah & Liza

Raffle Table

Goodie Bags

Cara Lynn Shultz & Hannah

Nicole, Hannah & Jen

Nicole & Hannah

Hannah & Gabby

Patti, Gabrielle, Hannah & Cheryl

Friday was a fairly non-eventful day. We got to BEA and waited to get in line. As I was walking up, I was suddenly and violently accosted by a flying, tiny flying Mundie Mom. Katie won that round of tackle hugs (OK, she won the BEA Tackle Hug Battle, too). Meeting Katie was one of those amazing moments that make me so glad I started blogging because she is just such a sweet, genuine person.

I bounced around from signing to signing, hanging out with Tara Fowler (Penguin) and Cassie McGinty (Disney) for a bit and chatting about blogging and some upcoming books they're excited about. I'm also starting to think being petite and gorgeous are prerequisites for being in publishing. I also found Julie Kagawa and got to hold 3 of the dragons in my hands ... I may have treated them with more care than I usually use when holding a baby.

I also had the chance to attend the SimonTeen luncheon which was full of awesome authors like Martina Boone, Kresley Cole, Scott Westerfeld, Christina Lauren, and Becca Fitzpatrick. And I got to see local YADC author Miranda Kenneally as well as Kiera Cass. 

Finally Gabrielle and I left and went back to the hotel to meet up with our respective grandmother and mother and go to this amazing place called McHale's that we eat at whenever we're in the city. It's this awesome Irish pub with a great, relaxed feel and delicious food. But imagine our shock when we got the same waitress from last year. 

It may seem totally random that we knew our waitress - and even stranger yet that she remembered us - but as someone who worked in food service for years, I know a fantastic employee when I see one, and Anne is the standard I hold all my waitresses to. We totally made her take a picture with us before we left.

After this we went back to the hotel and went to sleep. Little did we know how much we would need it for the day that was ahead of us.

Oh. And I saw a ghost in my hotel room.