BEA2014 Recap Part II: The Parties

Last year's BEA was all about the experience. 

This year was all about the parties which is cool because yeah, I like to party!

 Except my parties usually look like this...

 

 I was a little nervous about whether I would actually stay AWAKE for all of the parties. I did. And I have the Instagram pictures to prove it. 

Party #1: Wednesday: Epic Reads - Party like a Book Nerd!

*does a book shimmy*

We ate, we drank (soda for me), played an epic game of book trivia led by Team Time girls, Aubry and Margot and rubbed elbows with some of Harper's coolest authors - Garth Nix, Anna Carey, Michael Grant, Danielle Paige, Leslie Conner, and Corey Ann Haydu just to name a few! 

Aubry & Margot explaining the book trivia game.

Aubry and Margot also premiered the new Epic Reads video series called, BOOK NERD PROBLEMS!


 
And of course, there were the selfies...

Anna Carey and Me.

@ReadingTeen, Me, @Reader_Fictions, @brokeandbookish & @KimReadsThings 

and the photo booth...

Me, Steph from Cuddlebuggery/YABC, Hannah & Andye

Click this link to see all of the photos from the Epic Reads BEA Party.


We left with an awesome swag bag that included Book Shimmy T's - SCORE!

Thank you Epic Reads and Harper Teen!

Party #2: Thursday: MacKids Happy Hour
*cue Fancy by Iggy*

Most of my days are spent in jeans, or yoga pants that are not fit for public viewing, so I jumped at the chance to get "fancy" on Thursday night. 

And my feet ending up hating me for it.

The Houndstooth Pub was the venue for the MacKids Happy Hour and we had a back room to ourselves. This made mingling, chatting and snacking on the yummy food a cinch! 

YABC Selfie

YADC Photobomb

In which we look like characters from The Host.

Photo credit: I don't remember

If you haven't had the chance to meet Ksenia Winnicki yet, you are missing out because she is the BEST at what she does. THE BEST! She also earned her Masters recently so when you do see her you have to call her, Dr. Winnicki. ;)
Every one who attended left with a copy of the new Swoon Reads imprint, A Little Something Different and swag.

Thank you MacKids and Ksenia for all that you do for Bloggers!



 Party #3: Thursday: #YAPARTY (Author/Blogger Rooftop Party)
aka The party where I stress over people I admire eating my cupcakes.

 Our hostess for this party was the amazing Liza Wiemer with Andye and Hannah serving as equally amazeball co-hostesses. All three did a fantastic job of planning, organizing and pulling off a great party with swag bags provided by Spencer Hill Press and every publisher who sent authors.

Subway Fabulous with Andye

 This picture is funny because Andye does NOT like to be touched. At all. But right before Hannah snapped it we were both sliding back and forth across the seat and INTO each other. See, we break the rules even when we're not trying. ;)


 We played a "Get to know you" version of Bingo, ate yummy food and there was a table full of prizes, book bundles, book crafts and a Jambox raffled off. (My SIL Allison will be happy to know that no one was injured while playing Bingo with me.)
 
Providing the cupcakes for the party (vanilla, chocolate, and cookie dough - 4 dozen in all) was an honor and I'm really happy that it worked out. But I purposely avoided the food area just in case they sucked. 
Why?
As I explained to author Adam Silvera, having someone eat one of my cupcakes in front of me is much like an author having their book reviewed in front of them. It's a mix of excitement and full on terror.
I'm not even joking.  

Liza added book cover toppers, which turned out great and everyone seemed to enjoy them. 
 

Photo credit: Andye

The BEST part about the party was getting to meet and spend time with authors and other bookish people like, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Lenore Applehans, Cara Lynn Schultz, Michelle Madow, Jason Alexander, Scott Westerfeld, Miranda Kenneally, Marie Rutkoski, Danielle Ellison, Alex R. Kahler, Heather Demetrios, Susane Colasanti and many, many more!

Tommy Wallach provided the evening's music and HOLY FREAKING CUPCAKE is he good!

I FINALLY got to meet KP Simmon in person!
*insert selfie we forgot to take*


Marie Rutkoski is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet! 

Andye, Me & Marie

Hannah and Jen-squared. 

Photo credit: Hannah

I always enjoy seeing Miranda Kenneally and for the record, I'm not really THAT tall. I had on 4" heels. ;)

Katelyn and Alexa are two of my favorite bloggers and I loved having the chance to see them IRL.

@KatelynTorrey & @alexalovesbooks
 

Thank you Liza, Andye, Hannah and everyone who helped to make the #YAParty a success! 


******
How I felt on Friday morning...

******


 Party #4: Saturday: Bloomsbury Blogger Breakfast 
This may not have been a party by Webster's definition, but Hannah, Gabby and I survived a death-defying cab ride to get to the Bloosmbury offices so I'm going to call it whatever I want. 
Plus, I got to play with stuffed animals. Win-win!

But seriously, the ladies at Bloomsbury Children's, Lizzy Mason, Erica Barmash, Emily Ritter, Courtney Griffin, and Cristina Gilbert are FANTASTIC! (So are Murray and Mindy who I completely forgot to get a selfie with. *hangs head in shame*) They are always willing to talk books, answer questions and see how we can make our Publisher/Blogger relationship the best it can be!

 Authors Jessica Day George (Tuesdays At The Castle Series)
and Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass Series) were there too. Sarah asked all of us to sign her personal copy of Throne Of Glass and then she signed all of our copies of Heir of Fire which we took home in our UBER cool ToG tote bags. 
She posed for pictures too. 

Thank you Bloomsbury for inviting me, I had a great time!


Come back tomorrow because I saved the best for last. BEA2014 Recap Part III: The People