Hi all! I'm finally posting my recap of the Baltimore Book Festival! The Festival was almost two weeks ago (oops?), and I'm now getting on this. Forgive me!
I've gone to the Festival year after year, but this year's Festival experience has been my favorite. I hung out with so many cool people (bloggers and authors alike!), meet new awesome people, and got to sit in on some fun panels. I went on Saturday and Sunday (September 26th, 27th). Always a great time, and the weather was good!
So, here we go!
Pre-Festival excitement - I baked chocolate chip fudge brownies and white chocolate cranberry cookies on Thursday, September 24th, and packed them in baggies for authors and bloggers. I ran out pretty quickly!
Chocolate chip fudge brownies!
White chocolate cranberry cookies!
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH
Sadly, I didn't attend the Festival on Friday! Last year I only went on Friday, and this year, I went on Saturday and Sunday. Flip-flopping!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH
Saturday was the most fun! I got to see Jennifer L. Armentrout (again), and I got to meet Megan Erickson (love her!), Tessa Bailey (she is awesome!), Martina Boone (such a sweetheart!), Cinda Williams Chima (ahhh!). I also got to meet Jay Crownover! But it was super brief and I didn't get a picture. Oh well!
After the "New Adult: Hot New Genre, Hotter Heroes" panel at the Maryland Romance Writers Stage:
Jennifer L. Armentrout and I!
Photo Credit: Liza
Tessa Bailey and I!
Photo Credit: Liza
Megan Erickson and I!
Photo Credit: Liza
Next, I sat in on the "Mystery VS. Thriller: What's The Difference?" panel at the Maryland Romance Writers Stage that featured Jennifer L. Armentrout, Kami Garcia, and others. Hannah moderated this panel like a champ!
Next I went over to the Science Fiction and Fantasy tent, for the "YA Literature And Why It's Great!" panel. JUSTINA IRELAND, GUYS! Cinda Williams Chima! Diana Peterfreund!
Justina Ireland, Diana Peterfreund, Cinda Williams Chima, DH Aire, GL Tomas (pair)
Justina Ireland, Diana Peterfreund, Cinda Williams Chima, DH Aire, GL Tomas (pair)
Cinda Williams Chima and I!
Photo Credit: Liza
After that, I stayed for one more panel back at the Maryland Romance Writers Stage - "Young Adult Fiction: Fantastic Tales For Teens (And Grown Ups, Too!)". Here we have MELISSA MARR! So exciting! And Cheryl was there!
FINALLY got to meet Martina!
Photo Credit: Liza
So honored to finally meet Liza! Highlight of the Festival for sure!
Photo Credit: Liza
And that wrapped up my Saturday!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH
I went on Sunday for one reason - the YA panel, featuring Rachel Harris and Brigid Kemmerer! And I missed literally the whole panel, thanks to delayed public transportation (Ravens home game, etc.). BUT, I managed to catch everyone after the panel, when they were signing!
At the Maryland Romance Writers Stage, after the panel "Young Adult Fiction: Swoony, Sassy, And (Sometimes) Sexy Stories":
Brigid Kemmerer and I!
Rachel Harris, Cheryl Klam, and I!
I ended up staying for the next panel at the Maryland Romance Writers Stage, to support Megan! This was the "Getting The Happily Ever After: How To Plot A Romance" panel.
And that was that! Here is a picture of my lovely city on Sunday:
GOODIES
I took a paperback of Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout and an ARC of Unbreakable by Kami Garcia to be signed! And then I bought two paperback copies of Dirty Thoughts by Megan Erickson because HELLO, that book was awesome.
And I accumulated a TON of swag. O_O
Mostly from the Maryland Romance Writers Stage swag table! They are cool like that.
This year's experience was so amazing. I got to meet authors I thought I'd never meet because of geographic reasons (Rachel Harris, Tessa Bailey), authors who I've not met before but LOVE their books (Megan Erickson, Melissa Marr), authors that had me starstruck despite never having read their books (Cinda Williams Chima, Kami Garcia), and authors I've met and loved (Jennifer L. Armentrout, Cheryl Klam, Diana Peterfreund, Brigid Kemmerer). This Festival was my favorite yet.
THANK YOU to Liza, for all the pictures! She graciously took pictures for me, which I appreciated so much! Also, it was lovely to meet you, friend!
A HUGE thanks to the BBF committees who made this possible, the city of Baltimore (I love you, Charm City!), and especially to Lea Nolan, for doing everything for the Maryland Romance Writers Stage - everyone is amazing and wonderful and I WILL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!
And now... for a giveaway!
I couldn't just go to the Festival and not bring anything back for anyone! Did you all see that collection of swag I have going on from the Festival!? I grabbed a few doubles, and I have this ARC of Unbreakable that is now signed. So, if you're interested, here is the giveaway!
The Giveaway:
Win BBF swag from various authors, and a signed ARC of Unbreakable by Kami Garcia! Open internationally. Please read the general contest rules on my Giveaways page. Good luck!
Probably Rainbow Rowell. I love her books and I want to ask her about the endingggss... ♥
ReplyDeleteAnn Aguirre, every since I read her Razorland trilogy I have had a million questions to ask and I would be ecstatic to meet her.
ReplyDeleteJennifer L. Armentrout! :D <3 I absolutely love her YA books and it would be amazing to meet her!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to meet Patrick Ness...I simply love all of his books! ;)
ReplyDeleteCarolina M on rafflecopter
I have recently fallen in love with all books by Jennifer L. Armentrout, so I am so jealous of you meeting her, and that is who I want to meet now more than anything!
ReplyDeleteColleen Hoover!! <3
ReplyDeleteBetul E.
I've really started enjoying Anna North - I've loved her as a writer for multiple periodicals, but her young adult piece America Pacifica, and her newer fiction: The Life and Death of Sophie Stark has really made its self at home in my bookshelf!
ReplyDeleteWow, it looks like you had an amazing time!! I'd love to meet JLA one day :D
ReplyDeleteZareena @ The Slanted Bookshelf
I'm so jealous 😀I would love to meet Katie Mcgraw.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to meet Kiera Cass <3
ReplyDeleteJennifer L. Armentrout
ReplyDeleteThere are so many authors that I would love to meet! But...I think I would die if I met Shannon Parker! She's such a sweetheart and I love getting the chance to talk with her! Thank you so much for the giveaway! <3
ReplyDeleteTalina @ Sassy & Dangerous
Victoria Aveyard
ReplyDeleteSounds so fun! And the cookies look amazing... *sigh*
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a super awesome time at this festival! I wish they had book festivals near me that I could go to! That would be so fun! And wow! You have really long hair!! I like it! Wonderful post! :)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, you lucky duck. I like in a pretty small city in Canada, so meeting an author is so unlikely for me. But to answer your question, I would die to meet Suzanne Young. Thank you for the giveaway. PS Those brownies look amazing ;).
ReplyDeleteSarah @ The Reading Petal
You did a much better job that I did, but then you usually do. I'm so happy that we were able to meet and I hope that we don't have to wait a year for the next time ;)
ReplyDeleteYaaay :D Awesome recap Alyssa. <3 So much love. Sounds like you had an AMAZING time :D YAY! I love all the pictures. <3 You are way too cute. Yay for getting to meet so many amazing people :) And signed books. <3 And swaaag. Love it all so much :D You are oh so lucky. <3 Thank you for sharing about it sweet girl. And eeek! Precious giveaway :D Thank you for the chance. <3 I would love to win. The author I want to meet the most.. well. That must be Philip Pullman :) And Leigh Bardugo, I think. Or Marissa Meyer. I cannot decide :D
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely love to meet JK Rowling.
ReplyDeleteJK Rowling or Rainbow Rowell :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so green with envy! I am happy you had fun!
ReplyDeleteI can see why you had fun. Lots of good sessions and friendly author meet ups. Jennifer Armentrout does make my list of authors to meet. I would also like to meet YA authors Dan Wells and Maggie Stiefvater and NA author Christina Lee.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to meet JLA!
ReplyDeleteYAY COOKIES!! I'm so glad to hear you had such a blast and meet so many amazing authors!!
ReplyDeleteSusan Dennard and Jennifer L Armentrout
ReplyDeleteI'd love to meet Maggie Stiefvater!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had so much fun! I think that I would most like to meet Marie Lu or Veronica Roth. They seem so utterly genuine that it melts my heart. =]
ReplyDeleteI'd love to meet Sharon Creech!
ReplyDelete-Rosie
@rkgutmann
literaryhedonist.com
I would love to meet JK Rowling, I am a nerd for Potter and Im not alone. :)
ReplyDeleteMary G Loki
I would love to meet Kresley Cole.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
Jennifer L. Armentrout without doubt. I love her and love all of her books. It would be amazing to meet her <3
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of the Baltimore Book Festival! It looks like an amazing time!
ReplyDeleteI would love to meet Laurie Wetzel. Thanks for the giveaway! (Valentina B. -on the raffle)
ReplyDeleteI have so many authors I'm dying to meet, but I think Libba Bray might top my list right now. The Baltimore Book Festival sounds amazing. So cool that you got to meet Diana Peterfreund!
ReplyDelete