Nikki Does BEA is a WRAP!

     I finally went to my first BEA experience! I met so many people and I had so much fun seeing everyone that I had never met! It was a great experience that I will most definitely remember for a long time! 

     So remember how I was so afraid to get lost in the airport? Well I did it correctly and didn’t really have to ask anyone anything. Well besides someone on Twitter. (Isalys you were a God send thank you so much for everything. I have a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card with your name on it if you want it!) But I survued the plane and shot the deuces to Houston on the 10th. As soon as I made it to Chicago I was ready to eat. And you can’t go to Chicago without eating Lou Malnati’s deep dish, so I got that and OMGGGG. The hype is real you guys! (Except it seemed like they only gave me three pepperonis -__-) 

     Then I went to explore the city. I never knew Chicago had so many sights! I loved seeing the Bean and one of the Great Lakes at the Riverwalk. If I lived near there I’d probably take a book out there to read by the water everyday if I could. We also found the library and a Barnes and Noble which I thought was hilarious. (Me and my mom have a running joke that I can find a library ANYWHERE. And so far it’s true. I have found one on every vacation I’ve ever been on. Besides in Mexico, but there WAS one on the cruise ship….) The only thing I missed out on that I was really bummed about not seeing was the Michael Jordan statue, but it was raining so much I wouldn’t have been able to actually go see it and have a good time. 

     Finally, BEA started and I was so excited. But I was also intimidated from all the people and crowds there. But then once things started happening, I was having so much fun I had forgotten I was scared lol Also, it was a lot more organized than what I had heard. There were so many people there, but they had us all line up and kept us contained until time. A lot better than TLA where there was just a mass of people all the time. 

     While there, the best part was hands down the people. I met some awesome bloggers and was super excited to meet them all IRL. Top left is me, Ashley, Katie, Jessica, and Octavia! Then middle left is me and Becca. Bottom is me and Kristina! Then the top left is me, Amber, Jessica, and Ashley! I met so many more of you but failed to take pictures! (Like total blogger fail that I didn’t take one with Cassi! ) 

     Another great part was meeting the authors! So many of them were walking around or just around randomly and I thought that was so cool! I totally fan-girled when I ran into most of them. For instance, when standing around in a line for 3 hours to get Gemina, Jay Kristoff came walking around the corner to check out his “unofficial, official line” that had already gathered. I think I was in the middle of my sentence when he walked by and instantly had to get a picture. (He’s so hot to me lmfao) Then there was Melissa de la Cruz who was the sweetest ever. She took a picture holding my phone that I had brought my sister up on. I told her how my sister has ADHD and dyslexia and the first book in the series she read and finished and how she ONLY asked me to get here this while I was there and she thought it was the sweetest ever. While I was waiting in line for Melissa, freaking Maggie Stiefvater walked straight past me and I asked for a picture. She asked me to hold the sign and I was like sure long as I can take a picture with you! Then Nicola Yoon whom I fan-girled on so hard came by to check out her drop line for The Sun is Also a Star and everyone in line squealed lol I was trying so hard to get my camera out and take a selfie with her in it before she walked away and she CAME UP AND GOT IN MY SELFIE ANYWAYS. I gotta say, that was the highlight of BEA! And then getting to see Adam Silvera again and him remembering me from TLA. OMG I DIE. He’s always the sweetest ever and I LOVE how humble he is. He posted on Twitter that he was nervous about seeming popular, but his line was wrapped around TWO DIFFERENT BOOTHS. He’s amazing and so are his books. I can’t wait to start his next one. And last but not least, one of my most anticipated books of 2016 is Of Fire and Stars. I saw Audrey Coulthurst was signing and planned my day around then. She’s awesome and I can’t wait to read her book! I even went to some of the panels, like the We Need Diverse Books panel and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t get to stay the entire time, so I couldn’t get pictures, but I did enjoy listening when I was there. 

     But seeing the authors was a big part of why I was so excited to go. I LOVE when authors are so surprised and shocked about their super long lines and the way us bloggers, educators, and librarians are all super excited to meet them. I love when they’re humble enough to be surprised that we love them. I always say they shouldn’t be, but it always helps to show that they are indeed real. I also love seeing that they too fangirl over other books. For instance, that picture of me and the other girls holding up Gemina made my life because Jenn Bennett (author of the WONDERFUL The Anatomical Shape of a Heart) reposted my picture and in the caption said “lucky readers.” That never gets old. I love seeing authors seem like real people even if they are super famous in my eyes!

     All  in all, I was really selective and only got what REALLY jumped out at me. (And even doing that I got EVERYTHING I wanted.) Because for one the fiance is STILL pissed that I’ve got stacks on top of stacks on my floor now and for two because I had to make the packing weight for the plane hahaha But all in all, I can see myself going to BEA again to see the people, but spending my money to go to ALA and ALAMW to network with librarians more. Especially since GRADUATION IS COMING SOON lol

Anyways, that was my trip in a nutshell! What happened while I was gone?! Tellllllll me! I feel like I missed so much! lol Also I extended my giveaway for another week to include some of the things I got at BEA or TLA on accident. There’s a copy of Replica and a sampler of Laini Taylor’s new book! Go check it out!!!!!!