I’ve always wanted to go to YALLFest, but was never able to make it happen. Obviously I was beyond elated to see that Margie and Melissa were going to put together a sister festival. And when the author list was announced, it was a sure thing.
Michelle and I got to the high school around 8:30. There was a meet and greet coffee thing with Penguin at 9, so we had plans for that. The line when we got there wasn’t too bad, but it filled up quickly.
We were let inside just after 9 and headed right over to the coffee truck. We were able to see Stephanie Perkins, Morgan Rhodes, and Andrea Cremer, but there were several authors there. We saw Morgan first and she was so nice to stop and sign our books for us even though she was supposed to be helping with the coffee.
We chatted with Stephanie and as always, she’s so amazing. There were hugs and photos and Michelle had a book signed. From there, we went to Andrea Cremer. She looked so adorable in a steampunk dress. Michelle had some things signed and then the authors went to the Penguin back drop to take a group photo.
We then headed to the BN book tent to buy pretties. Michelle was looking for a copy of All the Bright Places and I braved the tent to see about finding it. The book tent wasn’t completely ready and we were told that they weren’t allowed to get inside early to set up. Somehow I ended up on the employee side, opening boxes and helping customers find books. Alas, I wasn’t able to find her a copy.
We ended up at the Epic Reads tent where we were able to spin the wheel of awesome to win books. Margot was at the tent and she was so sweet and willing to take photos with us after we won our arcs.
From there, we ended up going back to the car to drop off the items we had signed or didn’t need with us. And then we hit The Grilled Cheese Truck. Perhaps you don’t know this, but grilled cheese is one of my favorite things to eat. I’ve been dying to find the truck, but somehow we’ve never found it. We ended up getting all of the delicious things and it was so worth the wait.
As we were sitting there, we saw Maria Dahvana Headley. We grabbed our copies of Magonia and she was happy to sign them for us. Maria told us that since the book wasn’t released yet, our finished copies were the first ones that she had signed.
We took a selfie with her and she asked us to keep an eye out for her phone because she had lost it.
Now, we only had two goals for the entire day: to get things signed by Susan Ee and to meet and flail all over Jennifer Niven. We had been stalking Jennifer’s twitter account to see what she was posting and see if we could figure out where she was.
We ended up sitting on the shade in the quad area, hanging out and people watching. We were there for the Epic Reads pizza party and that’s when we started getting our tote bag signed.
We also saw Veronica Roth. She was supposed to sign for 250 people, and ended up signing for over 2 hours.
From 11 to 1, we sort of wandered around. Michelle would see authors and I would run after them and get our tote bags signed. At 1, we headed over to the Epic Reads tent to get in line for arcs of Emmy and Oliver.
Robin Benway was going to be signing the arcs and we wanted to make sure we got them. One of the girls saw us and asked what we were waiting for. I told her and she said that she would forget seeing us. Of course we ended up being first in line. When Robin got to the tent, she saw me in line and stopped to say hi and give me a hug. I got up to the table and we chatted for a couple of minutes before she signed my book.
From the signing, we went up to the signing area to see about lining up for Susan Ee. We ended up in line for Veronica Rossi to kill time. When we were close to seeing Veronica, they were lining people up for Susan, so we split up. And then when I was done with Veronica, Susan had just gotten to the table, so we were able to slide right over.
I got to Susan and thanked her for being there. I had Rachel’s arc of End of Days to get signed and when Susan saw it she asked if I had read it. I told her I had, that I loved it, and that it was everything I could have wanted. She said she was happy to hear it, that she’s been worried about people’s reaction. I told her that I was prepared to push anyone who didn’t like it. She started laughing and said, “That’s my girl.”
Since we were able to get to Susan so quickly, we had 2 hours to kill before the cupcake social with Jennifer. We headed back to the quad area to see if we could run into her earlier than that.
After about an hour, it happened.
Jennifer was with a small group of people, but I grabbed my stuff, got in front of her and started walking backwards. I told her my Twitter handle and she stopped and hugged me. I apologized for stopping her, but asked if she had time to sign some things.
She did. And you guys, I was such a mess.
I couldn’t even tell you what we talked about. I vaguely recall telling her I would be a table for her to sign my books and held the books to make it easier for her. Then she told me that she would be my table so I could sign her book {where I circled Finch’s name with my Sharpie marker and wrote “HE’S MINE”}. I know that I made a huge fool of myself, but it was so worth it.
She gave me Finch in writing.
She told me she knew I would take care of him.
We took a zillion photos and she is the loveliest person ever.
We hugged a few more times and then I told her I would let her go. She said she missed me already. I almost died.
With our day made and my mind blown, we decided to call it a day. As we walked out, we saw this sign and people were answering the question.
We wrote down our titles and then started the drive home. YALLWest was amazing. It was well organized and had so many awesome authors. I can’t wait to go next year. If you get a chance, I highly recommend it.
Now. As I mentioned above and talked about on Twitter, I had a YallWest tote bag signed by 23 lovely ladies and I’ve got it up for grabs.
It’s signed by: Kami Garcia, Robin Benway, Marissa Meyer, Jennifer Niven, Susan Ee, Debra Driza, Andrea Cremer, Danielle Paige, Veronica Rossi, Elissa Sussman, Jessica Brody, Jessi Kirby, Maria Dahvana Headley, Robyn Schneider, Richelle Mead, Margot Wood, Victoria Aveyard, Anna Carey, Morgan Rhodes, Michelle Gagnon, Margaret Stohl, Stephanie Perkins, and Leigh Bardugo.
Giveaway is international and additional rules are here.
**Good Luck!!**
I love Jennifer Niven!
Mine would be Colleen Hoover. There are so many I love though!! Thanks for the chance!!
My Twitter feed is brimming with all of the awesomeness from YALLwest. Unfortunately about 1,000 miles separate me and the West Coast, so going was not a possibility.
I am glad you had so much fun and were successful in completing your author scavenger hunt!
Right now, I’d have to go with Ilona Andrews. Love the Kate Daniels books!
I love Rick Riordan! Of the 23 you got signed I love Leigh & Marissa!! ^_^
I could go for the obvious and say J. K. Rowling, but recently I’m obsessed with Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy, so I guess she’s becoming a new favorite of mine.
My FAVORITE author. Well, Stephenie Meyer’s books gotten me into reading and writing and they will always be favorites. I looove Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampires series and buy like anything with her name on it, so she’s a favorite. Suzanne Collins and Sarah Dessen and Kiera Cass are some big ones, but I also adore books from smaller authors, like Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Kimberly Derting, and Lisa Schroeder. Thanks for the giveaway and for getting my book signed!
A LOADED QUESTION!
Rochelle Mead, Veronica Rossi, Jamie McGurie, Joanna Wydle and Veronica Roth, just to name a few (I could go on and on and on)!
Thank you for this extremely generous giveaway, and thanks for making it international.
P.S Instagram entries are blank for the simple fact that I don’t have it. Just wanted to let ya know.
Honestly, my favorite author is usually the author whose book I’m reading at the time.
J.K. Rowling
Richelle Mead because of Vampire Academy and Dark Swan series!
I love Veronica Rossi! She’s the sweetest!
For the last few years it’s been Jennifer l Armentrout. Thanks for the giveaway! Wish I could have been there, but had to cancel my plans at the last minute.
Favorite? Oh man. Probably Nora Roberts, but a close second and third are Colleen Hoover and Chelsea Fine. And oh my gosh, not gonna lie, I am preeeeetty jealous that you got to meet so many amazing authors! Especially Jennifer Niven. Loved, loved, loved All the Bright Places and she’s such a wonderful presence online. Looks like you had all the fun, which is awesome!! :)
My favorite author is Stephanie Perkins. Love her so much! Thanks for the giveaway! :)
It’s really difficult because I like many authors. But for the past few years, I’ve loved Veronica Rossi the most.
Thanks so much for posting an event recap! I wasn’t able to go to this, so seeing a recap was really fun for me :-)
My favorite author is a tie between Katie McGarry and Marissa Meyer!
Overall favourites (because I can’t choose one) are J.K Rowling, Cassandra Clare and Sarah J Maas.
OMG RICHELLE MEAD’S AUTOGRAPH
SERIOUSLY
I NEED THIS
SHE IS MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR OF ALL TIME
I don’t have just one favorite author, but I do love Marie Rutkoski, Katie McGarry, Kiera Cass, C.J. Redwine, Amie Kaufman, and Meagan Spooner just to name a few! All of them are such magnificent authors!
Thanks for the giveaway!
That is an awful question :O Rainbow Rowell? Maggie Stiefvater? Jodi Meadows?
That’s so hard to decide! Some of my top include Sarah J Maas, Stephanie Perkins, Leigh Bardugo, and Marissa Meyer.
I love Jennifer Armentrout, but out of the 23 that signed your bag, I’d have to pick either Leigh Bardugo or Stephanie Perkins!
Such a great recap post! It looks like you had a great great time and met so many wonderful authors. ;) How was the grill cheese? Everyone was raving about it and I was honestly about to lick my laptop screen when I saw your picture with the sandwich :P My favorite author has to be Morgan Matson, JK Rowling, Leigh Bardugo and lot’s more people.
~Kaitlin
That looks like such an amazing day. I am jealous!! And grilled cheese is my favorite thing ever. I would love a grilled cheese food truck!
Is it too obvious if I say John Green? Actually, lately I’ve read all Victoria Schwab books and I liked them all, but John Green books have a special place in my heart!
You are the luckiest Stacee :D SO jealous that you got to go to this, and meet all these amazing authors. <3 Sigh. And oh so happy for you :) Sounds like you had a wonderful time. And I love the pictures :D And YAY for signed books. <3 Those look the bestest, hih. And ack. This bag. Sigh. IT IS GORGEOUS. I want to win so badly :D Thank you so much for the chance sweetie. <3 You are awesome. But oh. My favorite author. Hmm. I love all of them so much, as I know some really, really nice ones. Sigh. But for now I'm going with Philip Pullman, as he responds to my tweets, and he replied to my letter :D
It’s hard to choose just one author but my all-time favorite is J.K.Rowling, simply because the HP series is a huge part of my childhood.
Just one favorite author? OMG. That’s almost impossible.
I have a few: J.K. Rowling, Romina Russell, Rainbow Rowell, Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and so many others.
Juliet Marillier. I read her YA novels first before finding the Sevenwaters series. I believe I have a copy of every books that she has published in some form or another. I think my favorite of her books is Heart’s Blood followed closely by Son of the Shadows.
Greg Iles is my favourite, but I love so many different authors!
My favorite author would have to be Michelle Hodkin and Sarah J. Maas though I have many other favorites Michelle and Sarah would be my number one
Hm, I have lots of them, but Tillie Cole, Penelope Ward and Penelope Douglas are on the top.
I have so many favorite Authors but I love Ally Carter and Cassandra Clare most of all.
I’m so jealous! In the UK we have nothing like this and I really wish we did! You met loads of cool authors and that Throne of Glass bag! I need one right now!
My favorite is Neil Gaiman.
Kiera Cass I love her as an author and a person she is beautiful inside and out!!
My favourite author has to be Jennifer L. Armentrout. Love all of her books! <3
Jane Austen and Emily Bronte but there are so many I love.
Mia Sheridan