One Week Later...My ATBF recap

Austin Teen Book Festival

     It's been one week since the Austin Teen Book Festival and between work, trainings for work, mom's surgery, being a mom and football I haven't had time to sit down and write about the awesomeness that was last weekend. 

     The ATBF was my first book festival since I started  my blog last May.  While it was a quick road trip, driving up Friday and then driving home after the festival Saturday night, I had a great time.  The drive up was probably one of the fastest drives from Houston to Austin I've been in thanks to the great company from Stephanie.  Friday night started with me and Stephanie (my partner in crime from work) meeting up with other Texas book bloggers(if I named them all I'm sure I'd forget someone and then feel horrible about it) Geoff Herbach  and Christina Mandelski for dinner.  It was great meeting so many people that I've talked to on Twitter, now I have faces to go with the names.  Then we headed back to the hotel, if you could call it that, it was great for a one night stay.  Then  again, it wouldn't be a road trip without a hotel that at first glance looked like it might be out of a scary movie (we did enter by the back so first impression was not that great).

     Saturday was the BIG event!  Stephanie and I joined Maria for breakfast and headed over to the Palmer Event center early so we could get to the books early.  Timing couldn't have been more perfect as we waited for the book sales to begin, I got to see the arrival of: the Pen Fatale authors (Alyson Noel, Jessica Brody, Mary Pearson, & Gabrielle Zevin), Stephanie Perkins, Maureen Johnson, and Heather Brewer (I contained my inner fan girl and resisted the urge to ask for a picture since she just walked in).

     Before the keynote speaker, we were entertained by dancing teen zobmies with their rendition of Thriller by Michael Jackson.

     Scott Westerfeld was the keynote speaker.  This was my first time hearing him speak and I was in awe.  I enjoyed history in school, but if he had been my history teacher I'm sure it would have been more entertaining.  If you ever have a chance to hear him speak, I would highly recommend it!
 
     Since I had the chance to hear the Pen Fatale panel when they came to my school and Marueen Johnson at Blue Willow Bookshop,  it made deciding which three of the five panels to see.  With a plan in place as to which panel's to hit, I started the day with the Real Life is Messy panel - moderated by Varian Johnson and panel members: Melissa Walker, John Corey Whaley, Coe Booth, Geoff Herbach, and David Levithan.  With my partners in crime for the day(Stephanie, Maria, Tillie, Jen and Kate), we managed to get seats on the front row!  This was a great panel!!  It really set the bar high for the rest of the day.  After getting our exercise and walking to lunch I hit up the Supernatural Suspense panel to see: Sophie Jordan, Tera Lynn Childs, Jackson Pearce, Heather Brewer, Andrea Cremer and Cynthia Leitich Smith as moderator.  I've had the chance to meet Sophie and Tera a couple times before and I always enjoy hearing about their upcoming books, though I was disappointed not to get any secrets about the third Firelight book out of Sophie.  I was very excited to hear from Heather Brewer as I have read and enjoyed her Vlad Todd series and can't wait to start on the Slayer Chronicles. 

     The number of kids present at this event was amazing!  To see so many young adults excited about reading was heartwarming to this teacher.  Of course with so many kids, the signing lines started to fill up early.  With a little patience and some team work, I managed to get all the books I brought signed and even managed to snap a couple pictures.  While I would have LOVED to have been in a couple of the pictures that I took, I didn't have the heart to slow down the signing line and ask for an individual picture.  

     Of course this experience got me even more excited for the Tweens Read event that I am helping out with at the end of October.  I know that it won't be as big as the Austin Teen Book Festival, but I am very excited for the students in the area to have the chance to meet the authors behind some of their favorite books.

Here are some of the pictures I took:

 John Corey Whaley, David Levithan Varian Johnson, Melissa Walker,

 Melissa Walker &  Coe Booth talking about their latest novel.

Supernatural Suspense panel: Jackson Pearce, Heather Brewer, Sophie Jordan, & Tera Lynn Childs

I was VERY excited to meet Heather Brewer!!  She is AWESOME 

Stephanie Perkins signing my Lola and the Boy Next Door ARC - If you  haven't read Lola or Anna and the French Kiss then you have no idea what you are missing!

Me and the hilarious Geoff Herbach

I didn't think that I was going to get Mr. Scott Westerfeld's signature since his line was so long, but he was amazing enough to stay past the one hour time frame that was set and sign everyone's books.

I'm sure I forgot something, but it was a great experience and I'm looking forward to more book adventures in the future.  Up next is Tweens Read and then ALA Midwinter!