Recap: #YADC Tackles eBook Piracy

This weekend YADC converged at One More Page in Arlington, Virginia for the launch party of Jessica Spotwood's final book in the Born Wicked trilogy, but we also came together to help spread the word about a topic very near and dear to our hearts: eBook Piracy.

eBook piracy is growing at an alarming rate. Authors are losing money, publishers are losing money, and readers are suffering as a result. A lot of piracy is involving eARCs lately. Local author Martina Boone said that pirated copies of her debut COMPULSION were up on 15 sites six months prior to the release this October. 

YADC had the idea to create a PSA (Public Service Announcement) about eBook piracy. The video is currently in the editing phase, but i had such a blast this weekend with my YADC friends that I needed to talk about it here.

I've met a lot of people who are fascinated by YADC and want to know how they can join something like this. Let me tell you about YADC:

YADC (Young Adult DC) was a group started by Andye at Reading Teen in late February of 2013. She had this brilliant idea to start a Facebook group to keep track of local signings and events that bloggers, authors, librarians, book sellers and fans could use in the MD/DC/VA area. Within months it exploded into a group of over 100 people.

I don't think any of us realized how many authors and bloggers we have in our little area, but it's amazing. It also means now we always have a familiar face when we go to a signing event. 

Here are 5 quick things to know about YADC:

1. The events are awesome, but the carpool road trips to get there can be awesome-r. Like that time I saw a man napping on the sidewalk in DC. At night. We hope he was napping anyway. 

2. When in doubt of a name, just yell, "Steph!" or "Jen!" I promise someone, if not 5 someones, will turn around.

3. Laughter is guaranteed. I've yet to wake up the day after a YADC event without a massive headache and/or sore throat from laughing so hard I cried.

4. Books and Cupcakes are the power couple of YADC and we all ship that pairing hardcore. Also, never tell Jen that the cupcakes have fallen over unless you're cool with her having a heart attack.

5. We have in insanely group of talented people in a relatively small space. From our writers to our bakers to our bookstores, I never cease to be amazed by how much talent and heart is in this area.

YADC Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Fierce Reads Hits #YADC

This past weekend was spent being fierce.

OK, not that kind of fierce. This kind of Fierce:

I spent two crazy, but amazing days with the Fierce Reads authors. It kicked off on Friday night at Hooray for Books in NoVA where I joined my amazing fellow YADCers to see Gabrielle Carolina from The Mod Podge Bookshelf moderate a panel consisting of Marie Rutkoski, Katie Finn, Lindsay Smith, and Anna Banks.

Katie Finn, Lindsay Smith, Marie Rutkoski, and Anna Banks

This was a hilarious, fun-filled panel that had the entire audience cracking up. All four women are engaging and fascinating. Afterwards we did a signing and 

YADC & Fierce Reads

Then it was off to dinner, YADC style (this means a lot of people, a lot of laughter and silliness, and cupcakes).

Gabrielle & me

Steph, Stacey, Jenn, Stephanie, Jess & Gabrielle

Andye & Steph

Steph & me (with complimentary horse photo bomb)

Sadly the party had to end (well, until we're all united in NYC for BEA next week), but my weekend was only half done. I had been asked to be the blogger for the Fierce Reads stop during the Gaithersburg Book Festival!

Armed with caffeine and Stephanie, I embarked on the journey to Gaithersburg. We wandered the area for a bit, popping in and out of tents before we got to catch up with our Fierce Reads authors (this time sans Marie, but with the hilarious addition of Emmy Laybourne). I had a chance to sit down and interview the authors (which I will be posting as soon as my computer stops being a butt and lets me download the file) and just chat for a bit before their panels began.

Katie, Lindsay, Anna, and Emmy Laybourne

It was a seriously amazing weekend with some fabulous women. Thank you Mary VanAkin and Ksenia Winnicki and all the other fantastic people at Macmillan who made this happen. Thank you Katie, Marie, Emmy, Anna, and Lindsay (who is now out newest YADC member!) for sharing your words and time with us. And thank you to my fellow YADC members who make everything more fun. 

GIVEAWAY:

The awesome folks at Fierce Reads are letting me give away a prize pack of books to one lucky winner! Included are:

-The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski 

-Sekret by Lindsay Smith

-Of Neptune by Anna Banks

-Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

Winner must have a US mailing address and by over 13. 

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