More on BEA

Ok, you've been waiting for the juicy details of my weekend at Book Expo America.....

It was AWESOME! I met tons of cool and interesting people: authors, teachers, librarians, publicists -- lots of industry folk. I told them all about The Rock and the River, and I collected bunches of books and information in exchange. At BEA, publishers give out books and galleys (advanced copies) like candy.

Check out my haul: a whopping 74 books!

Lugging all that home was not a pretty picture. Luckily it was a three-day conference. Luckily, too, it was in my town, so I didn't have to pay for any shipping.

I even got my hands on the highly anticipated, highly coveted galley of Catching Fire, the sequel to Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games. Yum. Cannot wait to dive into that one!

I'll post later to highlight more of the books I managed to snag. The concept of receiving advance galleys may have spoiled me for ever again waiting until the books I want to read actually hit shelves. Sigh.

I met a few writers who I've been reading since I was a teen myself, and picked up copies of their latest books -- Sharon Draper (Sassy), Walter Dean Myers (RIOT), and Katherine Paterson (The Day of the Pelican). I also met some favorites who I've discovered as an adult -- Sara Zarr (Once Was Lost), Scott Westerfeld (Leviathan - a fellow Aladdin author!), Elizabeth Scott, Michelle Knudsen (The Dragon of Trelian) and Elizabeth Bluemle (Dogs on the Bed).

S&S didn't have The Rock and the River on display (so I brought my own promotion materials!), but as I was wandering around the expo, I noticed that the publisher of my non-fiction books had a display up that included some of my titles. Very cool!

My close friend and colleague Bethany Hegedus was signing copies of Between Us Baxters. She looked awesome at the tall signing table where they seated her. Every last book got snagged up. She was in demand!

I blog at CHICKS ROCK! on Mondays, so take a look over there to read about my dazzling encounter with Olivia, star of the picture book OLIVIA, by Ian Falconer. I won't deny it -- it was a highlight of the whole weekend.

All in all, the Book Expo was a wonderful and dynamic event. I was thrilled to be a part of all that book-walking, book-talking action!

BEA, Baby!

This weekend I attended Book Expo America (BEA) at the Javits Center in New York. It was my first time at BEA, which is a major annual conference for the publishing industry. Publishers, booksellers and other book-related vendors set up booths that together cover the area of a couple of football fields!!

All told, it was a weekend of many book signings, excellent networking and awesome giveaways!! In fact, there was so much going on that it would be hard to fit it all into one post. I'll save the most dramatic details for a few follow-up posts, but in the meantime, here are some of the highlights:




Sharon Draper recognized The Rock and the River when I gave her my flyer!
















Meeting Olivia! I was so excited. It was almost ridiculous. But how cute is she?!?!











My new BEA buds. Two writer friends I met at the conference, Latria and Tiffany.



Stay tuned for more on my many BEA adventures!

Summer Blog Blast Tour, Featuring ME!

Exciting, exciting things today!

First of all, pop over to Elizabeth Bird's blog, A Fuse #8 Production, where you will find an interview with me that is part of the Summer Blog Blast Tour 2009. I talk about The Rock and the River, my inspirations for writing it, people's reactions to it, and lots of other stuff. Fun!

What is the Summer Blog Blast Tour, you ask? Excellent question! It appears that a group of KidLit bloggers have gotten together to do a series of interviews with interesting authors (if I do say so myself!). It'll be going on all week. Colleen Mondor has posted a schedule for the week, plus links and sneak peeks, on Chasing Ray. I'm headed there now to check out the other interviews. For me, it's already been lots of fun to be part of this special week - and it's only just begun!

Okay....when you're done with all that, take a peek at the Best Books for Young Adults nomination list, recently posted by the American Library Association. Guess who's on it?? It's so very exciting that The Rock and the River was chosen to be part of this group.

I'm all smiles today, friends!!!

Between Us Baxters Release Party!!

Last night I attended the release party for Between Us Baxters, by my friend and fellow YA author Bethany Hegedus. Yay!!

I'm one of the lucky ones who got to read the book for the first time a few years ago, long before it was published. So it's especially exciting to see it in real book form for all the world to see.

Here we are together with Bethany's book!

First Bookstore Signing

My first bookstore signing, at Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe in Harlem, was officially a success!

Book Launch Party

I had a great time at my book launch party last night. The New York Society Library was hopping with my friends, family and even my first few fans! Here are some photos from what, for me, was truly a night to remember...

Books for sale!

Signing, signing!

Mingling, mingling!

Book Launch and Signings

I have two upcoming book signings in New York City:

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009
6-8 PM
The New York Society Library
53 E. 79th St. (@ Madison Ave)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009
6 PM
Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe
2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd (bet. 124th-125th Sts)

Come, help celebrate the book release, and get yor copies signed!!