What an amazing book-adventure! Meeting so many people and authors. Crazy and hectic but wonderful!
I got there at 8:45am. Mid-parking, I scream. I see Katytastic (Kat), JessetheReader (Jesse), and Polandbananas(Christine) across the street. They are talking and hanging out in line like normal people. I was surprised to see that no one noticed that it was THEM. I run and grab my [many] books from the back seat and cross the street. Just as I was about to approach them for a picture, the line was moving. Shoot!
Quicky, I am there by the food trucks. It starts to sink in. I am at Yallwest. Happiness. I can't find the book-tubers anywhere, so I get in line for some free coffee. Best way to start any morning. In line I call my mom and tell here where I am at; then I gasp. "Mom, mom, mom, MAAAAAAAAM... JessetheReader is three people in front of my in the coffee line." Worlds colliding. Booktubers > Coffee. I hang up the phone and walk up to him. He is the sweetest guy ever. We took a pretty great photo for 9am.
People around me were whispering, "Is that Jesse?" Haha. I told him that people were not sure it was him. Probably because he isn't usually wearing his trademark blue. I gave him a hug and left him to his other fans. Gotta say, he has a great smile.
After the hug, I literally turn around I almost got hair whipped by Polandbananas (Christine), then I see Katytastic (Kat) right next to her, taking photos with fellow booktube lovers. Wiggling my way around people, I am determined to get a photo with them.
I walk over to Christine and say hi, and the most shocking thing happened... She wasn't loud. It was like a bunny whisper. Totally caught me off guard. Apparently, she loses her voice very often. I can't say I'm not surprised. She was a very wonderful and sweet lady. I am so happy to meet her.
Then I literally speed walked to get a picture of me and Kat. I was so nervous. She is my favorite booktuber ever. She was the first person I watched, who talked about books. After stumbling over my words for a few seconds, I was finally able to talk to her. She is so sweet. There are days I wish we could be besties and grab coffee in L.A. together. Maybe someday, I can dream.
Now it was only 9:15am. Still all giddy after meeting the people I watch on youtube several hours a week. I decided I should wander and figure out the lay of the land. I find the Epic Reads booth. They said if I signed up for their e-mails I would get a free totebag. I was all up on that.
At their booth they also had book excerpts, bookmarks, stickers, audiobooks, and an Epic Reads magazine(?). I felt so spoiled. The nice ladies told me at 10am it was Spin-to-Win time. Spin the wheel and win a book. WHAAAT. I am so there. I wandered around figuring out wheres-what and somewhat of a game plan of getting my books signed. At 9:45am I was first in the Spin-to-Win line. I am so ready.
10am is here. I spin; click-click-click, Winner! (Everyone is a winner but the ladies were making everything so exciting.) I got Making Pretty by Corey Ann Haydy; Advanced Reader Copy. Will be released May 2015. I take my book and walk up the hill where the book signings will be held. But, oh shit. The lines were crazy. So I run to the shortest line and hope for the best.
During the 11am slot the lines were the craziest. Rumor has it that Veronica Roth's Line started at 10am and was capped at 12pm. She was still signing until 1-2pm. INSANE. I ended up being in the Ransom Riggs line. Yay! There was only 10 people in front of me. Riggs and Mafi came out of a morning panel and walked over to their table together. OTP to the max. Can we say they both have perfect fashion? So jealous.
I handed him my book, and took this quick snapshot. Which shows him in state of confusion of what he says next. "217? You want me to sign your book to 217?" I laughed. He had my stickie note upside down. I explained that my name is Liz. Haha. He was a really nice guy; and a really handsome guy. #HandsomRiggs
(Here is the signing schedule; so you can understand the complete chaos)
After going though Riggs line so fast I ran to Marissa Meyer's line. Lu, Mafi, Lockhart, and Roth's line were beyond insane. Meyer's line was a smidgen shorter, but not by much. Waiting and talking to people around me. I realized I was way over my head in doing this all by myself. I needed a tag team. I need to find a real-life-book-boyfriend to old my spot and get me food. True love at it's finest. At the half hour mark of every signing, the next hours signings line started. Lordy.
(This is my new game plan)
Its 11:50 and I finally got my book signed from Marissa Meyer! Yay! I run to the back of the same line, because Richelle Mead was signing at the same place Meyer was at 12pm. Mead's line was overwhelming. It went around a tree and down the hill. Thats when I decided I needed a NEW game plan.
While waiting in line I met some nice girls from Santa Monica. Talking a lot. It helped time fly by. We were all in line past 1pm; they had to take the line and move it for the next author signings. At 1:20pm I was able to get my book signed. Woo! Richelle is so beautiful. Also, I found out that her hair color is dyed. Could have fooled me. It is her color. She was also giving out booklets. They are so cool. Pictures of her career from the beginning to now, sneak peek of Soundless, Top 10 Vampire Academy moments, favorite VA quotes, quizzes, and a few other things. It's awesome.
Right after Mead's line I went to Nicola Yoon. She was giving away and signing ARCs of her book Everything, Everything. Will be released in September 2015. She was a very quiet, smily, kind woman.
1:30pm I walk on over to Epic Reads. Got in line for an ARC giveaway at 2pm. I sat down with other people in line and talked. I was so lucky to come prepared. I had 2 bottles of water, 2 monsters, and many many granola bars. People were saying they wish they had thought of bringing food too. Haha. I got it from my mom, "always be prepared." It was so nice to sit and give my feet a rest.
2pm was here in a blink of an eye. As I was waiting for this giveaway people were already in line for 3pm Patrick Ness giveaway. I knew I wasn't going to get his book. Lol. Back in my line, I was maybe number 5 in line. Yay! I got Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway. Will be released in June 2015. Benway was there to sign books too! She is a very nice woman. So bubbly and outgoing. Which is why the book was so cute. Yes, I already read it. It's a nice summer-light-hearted read.
Walking up the hill at 2:10pm, I went in line to meet Andrea Chreme. She was so beautiful. She had on an amazing steampunk and corset silver dress. Her necklace was bronze gaudy wings. Truly stunning. 2:20pm I got in the long line for Libba Bray. Thats where I met the coolest new friends ever; Heather and Raychael.
This is why I love conventions. You get to meet people who has the same interests as you. We talked and talked. Then Raychael said Melissa De La Crus was still signing. Its now 2:40pm. Raychael held Heathers' and I's spot and we ran over and got our book signed. Melissa De La Cruz was so nice. She took time to really talk to each person in line.
After that we go back to the Libba Bray line. It literally hasn't moved. 2:50pm, the volunteers tell us Bray is going to sign until the line is gone. What a sweetie. 3pm and one of my favorite authors is signing: Carrie Ryan. The nice man behind us in Bray's line hold our spot as we run to meet Carrie Ryan.
Meeting Carrie Ryan was amazing. She was nice and energetic. She is nothing like her books. Lol. I told her how I am NOT a crying type of person. At all. But her book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, made me cry at least three time. No joke. She smiled and said, "Thats the best compliment an author can get. To make the reader actually connect to the characters and feel for them." She was really amazing.
After that we ran back in Bray's line around 3:15pm. We all talked and talked and talked. Finally at 3:40, I get to meet Libba Bray. She is a sweetheart. I had no idea, but Libba is short for Elizabeth. I never heard of that nickname. When she told me that, I am considering to make that my new nick name. It's cute and spunky. After Libba, I exchange Facebook's with Heather and Raychael. I hope I see them next year at Yallwest and other book things here in the L.A. area.
3:45pm and I run to the Epic Reads Booth. It's their last Spin-to-Win event. The line was insane. I was so sure I wasn't going to get a book. I was one of the last few to get a ticket, to spin the wheel! Woo! The kickass ladies at the Epic Reads booth know how to make a line move. The spinning didn't start until 4pm and I was spinning at 4:15pm; Even though I was at the very back of the line. Now those are wonder women!
I won a ARC of Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer. Will be released in June 2015. Then a nice lady game me her book, that she won because she doesn't like his writing style. It was Endgame: The Calling by James Frey.
It was finally time to go home. It was a long and wonderful day, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I was sore for 2 days after this event from carrying so many books and being out in the sun for so many hours. Totally worth it. I can't wait for next year. I am bringing everyone I know; and we can be a tag team.
Did you go? Who did you meet? What was your favorite part of Yallwest?
