Fun Book Events + BEA!

>> Corey Ann Haydu Book Launch Party

Usually I disregard book events in Brooklyn because I am way too lazy after work to make the trek out there. But when Estelle tells me to mark down a date on my calendar because we are going to Brooklyn — I go! And that’s how I ended up at the book launch party for Corey Ann Haydu’s book Life by Committee and I am so glad I went. Knowing the event was coming up pushed me to read the book sooner rather than later (I loved it) and Corey was very sweet in person. I had never been to BookCourt before and loved the venue and how the event was set up. There was food, wine, people taking pictures of people’s shoes with the book (if you read it, you’ll get why). Plus Corey was asked a lot of great questions and I enjoyed hearing her answers. Like how she likes writing books that make people uncomfortable and how she did research for LBC by checking out teen chat rooms and pro-anorexia online communities. It’s clear that a lot of thought and emotions went into Life by Committee and it shows. 

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>> Great Teen Reads @ Books of Wonder

I had been looking forward to this event for a couple months now because of one person and one person only - EMERY LORD. I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m a huge fan of the author and her debut book Open Road Summer (I know you all agree!). And for those of you who haven’t met her yet, she is just as nice in person as she is on Twitter. But it was a great event all around. Big turnout, six authors (Susane Colasanti, E.L. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, Kieran Scott, Jennifer E. Smith) and they each shared something from their childhood (think show and tell) plus let us know what new books to expect from them. I am especially excited for Jen E. Smith, Kieran Scott and Emery Lord. 

I told Kieran about how much I enjoyed Only Everything and how happy I was that
I didn't have to wait a whole year for the next book in her series. 

Me & Emery! She knew who I was!! (This is always exciting even though I usually have to introduce myself as hellochelly, lol.) Then Alexa and I with our "I love Matt Finch" pins. C'mon - we had to!

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>> BEA 2014!

In case you didn’t already know, I will be at BEA again this year! This is my third year going and even though I’m kind of a “veteran” at this point, I am just as excited to go. Maybe even more so than previous years! I know everyone tends to share tips of what to expect but I can pretty much sum up mine with: be organized, dress comfortably and have fun. (If you want a more hardcore guide, check out the BEA series I contributed to!)

Instead, I’m going to share my own little hopes and goals for this year’s BEA: 

• Get copies of Heir of Fire, Since You’ve Been Gone, Breathe Annie Breathe and all the Jennifer L. Armentrout books. Everything else is just icing on the cake! 
• Limit myself to 30 books. I know it’s easy to get caught up in having a huge book haul, I get it. But I have a tiny apartment and I have to be realistic about what I will actually make time for to read. Plus I’m trying to avoid bringing a suitcase this year. So I can only carry what my tiny shoulders can handle. 
• Stay calm and collected. Last year between needing to line up super early for certain books, all the people and the 90 degree weather, I felt a little more than frazzled at times. And I refuse to feel that way this year. 
• Make more of an effort to meet the publicists who’ve been kind enough to send me books this past year. I always get a little flustered at the booths and I never quite know what to say. Which is why I barely hand out my business cards (which are super cute this year!) or chat. But I’d like to change that.

Anyway, that’s what my plan for BEA this year! And I’ve said this before but if you follow my blog or Twitter/Instagram and see me around, I hope you say hi!