ALA 2012 Recap

ALA Annual in Anaheim was my first big book conference I've been to. I originally wasn't planning on going and then found out I was going to be in the area anyway so why not. I went for three days-Friday, Saturday, and Monday. On Friday, I arrived about an hour before the exhibits opened to get my badge and register my grandma who was taking me. We waited outside the exhibit doors along with a bunch of other people and I sat down and waited.

When the doors opened, everyone swarmed inside and started picking up books like no other. I was really overwhelmed and I'm embarrassed to admit that I did get a little over grabby with the books. Surprisingly, most people were very nice about not pushing and shoving. I went to Jackson Pearce's signing and bought Sweetly, Sister's Red, and Purity and got an ARC of Fathomless. After that, I went to stand in my first long line fore Rae Carson's novel the Girl of Fire and Thorns and received an ARC of the second book. Overall, day one was really fun!

Day two was more exhausting, but also more fun because it was longer. The first line I went in was the one to see Marie Lu who was signing copies of Legend and Prodigy. I got both books and had her sign them (may I just say that she is so nice and you should read her books!) In that line, I started talking to a girl who's sister was a librarian and we talked about young adult literature. Throughout the day I went through the booths and talked to the nice publicists and received some awesome titles I'm excited to share! The authors I met that day: Marie Lu, Cindy Pon, Laini Taylor, David Levithan, Suzanne Lazear, Talia Vance, Maggie Stiefvater, Marissa Meyer, Morgan Matson, and Miranda Kenneally.

Monday was absolute awesomeness. The morning started out with going to the signings of Malinda Lo, Katherine Grace Bond, and the big Disney signing. After that, all the publishers started clearing out their books by having sales or giving them away. I stood in line for the Harper Collins, Disney, Random House, and Harlequin lines for their sales/giveaways. I wanted to go to Simon and Schuster's, but the line was ridiculously long and the books that I had bought were weighing down my shoulders so I decided to go home after that. ALA was awesome and if you ever have the opportunity to go, do it. I most likely be going to the Midwinter ALA in Seattle and definitely the one in Vegas 2014.

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