and Times Square:
At BookExpo America, I attended author panels featuring Rainbow Rowell:
Anna Jarzab, Cristin Terill, Amy Rose Capetta, Sara Farizan,
Robyn Schneider and Katie Cotugno:
Corey Ann Haydu:
Suzanne Young & Cat Patrick:
and heard about tons of exciting upcoming titles.
In preparation for this trip, I read a great many blog posts from people sharing their experiences from past years. Despite the horror stories, I didn't witness biting, shoving, using elbows as weapons, or anything remotely unpleasant. I stood in lots of long lines and met many lovely people.
The one common piece of advice I found over and over again was "wear comfortable shoes." Even so, I somehow managed to overestimate the comfort level of my shoes and underestimate the amount of walking involved. Which meant that at the end of day one, I had to spring for some comfy sneakers.They did not make the ideal match with my dress on day two, but vanity gave way to survival.
In an effort to save my shoulders, I tried my best to be discerning about what books I gathered, and came home with a total of 29 titles: one for my daughter, five for my mother, and 23 that I am eager to read myself. I look forward to sharing my reviews with you in the coming weeks.
Out on the sidewalk, just before I left on Friday, I was so pleased to meet Kelly Hager from KellyVision. With several years of BEA attendance under her belt, she graciously answered my questions, pre-trip and helped me prepare. I'm glad to have a face to go with her name (and blog) now, and happy to have been able to thank her for her help in person.
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| A tiny corner of the Javits Center as I left. |
The greatest part about this trip was experiencing it with my wonderful daughter, relying on her understanding and Gods peace to help me overcome my anxiety and aversion to crowds. I did not suffer one moment of panic during the trip. God is good!
