This is it, friends. The final day of BEA. *sobs* I couldn't believe it was already Friday! I felt like I had barely scratched the surface of the event.
The day started early for me and Katherine. I wanted to get an autograph line ticket for Meg Cabot and she wanted tickets for Jennifer L. Armentrout and another author (I think?). Tickets were handed out starting at the ridiculous hour of 7:00 AM. These tickets weren't for all authors, just the ones that would have a really large crowd. So, we woke up at 6:00, stumbled out of the house at 6:15, arrived at Javits at 6:30, got our tickets just after 7:00, and stumbled back home for breakfast (and tea for me). While we sat in line, I finally read one of the show guides. Um. Why hadn't I been reading that every day? So many tidbits! We also shook our heads in amazement at the group already lined up to get into the show, which, by the way, didn't open for another two hours.
Everyone else in the house left early because there were important books to be had but Katherine and I took our time and wandered back to Javits together. We got more Litograph tattoos (this time it was "The Tell-Tale Heart") and I remembered there was a print I wanted to get from an upcoming picture book. Finding Winnie is about the real Winnie the Pooh. As a Canadian and a Winnie fan, I had to have it!
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| Left: How cute is this illustration? | Right: How cute is Beth? :) |
, which I had I wanted to pick up but missed out on. How lucky is that? Also, after hemming and hawing all week, I finally picked up the Litographs Anne of Green Gables print I've been lusting after for ages. This way I wouldn't have to pay the obscene shipping cost to Canada. Win! Another notable moment was getting a picture with Beth (Fuelled by Fiction), though I didn't want to say goodbye because she lives so far away!Friday was all about quality over quantity. I got a bunch of signed books (of the nine I picked up that day, five of them were signed) which was amazing. (Stay tuned for the haul post where you can see each and every title I received!) I had planned on getting Sandy Hall's new one, Signs Point to Yes
, because I adored A Little Something Different
(review here). Not anticipated was the new Abbi Glines novel, Until Friday Night
. She had two signings that day but that one was the only one that fit into my schedule.Lunch was with Katherine at the little healthy grocery store down the street from Javits. I was in desperate need of vitamins and nutrients so I loaded up on Greek salad and a ton of fruit. SO needed and delicious!
Finally it was time for the main event of my BEA: Meeting Catherine McKenzie! I was standing in line, quietly hyperventilating, when Katherine came up behind me. I had been gushing about McKenzie all week so Katherine wanted to see what it was all about. Of course, now she'd be present for my fangirling and she was finding way too much pleasure in that. I don't know why I was so worried about meeting
Catherine ("what if she doesn't know who I am?") because as soon as I came up and she saw the sticky note with my name on it, she lit up and immediately gave me a hug. She even introduced me to her agent ("Kaley's been reviewing my books since 2010!")! I ended up being quite happy Katherine was there as she took this picture of Catherine and I. I wanted to keep chatting but I knew there were others in line. I walked off clutching my signed ARC of Smoke
and wearing, I'm sure, a stupid, huge grin on my face. Whee!I lined up in the unofficial Meg Cabot line quite early (I had learned the ropes quickly, plus I didn't have anything else pressing to see) and when we moved to the official pre-line, I was about fourth or so. I knew there would be some people jumping the line (you could purchase passes that allowed you to have a line jump at an autograph session), such as Emilie, but I was still pretty excited about how close to the front I was. I made friends with a woman behind me (who is friends with the woman who got bit a few years ago! She was so amused that so many people had heard that story. Her friend? Not so amused.). This new friendship with Kate worked out very well for me because I was able to hop over the the K.A. Tucker signing line, which I didn't think I'd be able to make! I was totally thrilled that Tucker remembered meeting me in Toronto last September and that I had reviewed Burying Water
for the magazine I write for. After a lovely, fangirling (on my part) meeting, I hopped back over to the Meg Cabot line. It's been years since I've read a Princess Diaries book, but I was so excited about Royal Wedding
. Cabot asked if it was for me and I said how I had thought about having her sign it to my sister but she said that was silly and I needed it for me! (Sorry, dude!) Also, did I mention Cabot was wearing a tiara? Amazing!By this point most of us roomies had met up and we decided to do one last lap before trudging home. Emilie and Jess got some travel books (pro tip: wait until the last day and sometimes the publishers will give you things that had previously only been on display. This is how Ciara got the mini light up TARDIS I was going to give to my sister until I found out she already had it. I just politely asked at the end of the day if I may please have one of the mini books.) Katherine and I each picked up a cute picture book for the kiddos in our lives (niece/nephew on my end). After a quick couple of pictures of the venue (why hadn't I done that before?) and the Pengin Book Truck, it was time to say goodbye to Javits and BEA.
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| Left: SO many posters for BOOKS! | Right: I saw the Penguin book truck in person! |
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| How many bloggers can you fit in one picture? |
Once we got home we decided it'd be a brilliant idea to drink, eat more food, and watch The Princess Diaries. As you do when a few of the roommates met Meg Cabot that day. (Yes, we know the books and the movie are very different.) It was probably the best way to end the day and I am so glad the girls didn't mind me quoting the movie constantly. I've only seen it a bajillion times. :) Then, to bed to prepare for a day of touristing in New York City! Whee!
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