Teen Book Fest + a Giveaway of "Legend", "Shadow and Bone" and more!

On Saturday, I went to the Teen Book Fest in Ontario, California where awesomeness assembled in the form of fab authors; some of whom I was not familiar with, and some I was very eager to see.  There were panels with themes that certain authors talked on, and while the themes were interesting, the event was rather low-key and intimate, and the panels really felt like eavesdropping on a conversation between authors.  Which was fantastic!  And since I had not read all the books by the authors at the event, it was great to hear them talk about the creation of their characters and plot, and I became excited about getting the chance to explore their books later.

There were many topics that were touched on, and I found the different processes of the authors so interesting.  When it comes to writing characters the authors ranged from needing to have something in common with them to not wanting to feel too much kinship with them.  There was also a great discussion of writing 1st person vs. 3rd person, which as a reader I don't really even think about when I read a book.  I just accept that that's the way the story is told, but the author really has to think about which approach works best for their story.  Towards the end of one panel, someone asked about marketing and Gretchen McNeil talked about how she self-promoted her book ("Ten") with the Ten Army and how effective it was to involve the readers.  Her new book "3:59" (which comes out later this year but I want it now!) has a similar promotional effort behind it that I think is a great idea!  It involves sending free T-shirts to people who are willing to wear it at book events and then gives incentives to people who see people wearing the shirt and tweeting about it or sharing it through social media.  Most of the authors have a presence on social media, and I find it rather exhilarating to be able to connect to authors this way, after being awed or touched by their work.

Marie Lu, Leigh Bardugo, Morgan Matson, Jennifer Bosworth

 Leigh Bardugo talked about how writing to James Howe (author of the Bunnicula series) and receiving a personal reply back gave her the sense that she knew him and they were friends,  and that translates in my mind pretty closely to the way readers feel when they tweet their favorite author.  And although I can't bring myself to think I am friends with these authors, I do an inner dance of joy when I get a tweet from them.  Somehow it makes me feel a little more personally invested in their books when I can exchange a few words with them about what I liked about it and a little more personally connected with this thing I love called reading.

And I have to share what was a really funny moment at one panel - when Marie Lu talked about her teenager years, and the first story she wrote was a fanfiction about Sonic the Hedgehog in which he gets into an accident and becomes paralyzed.  So wrong, yet so funny.  I want to read it!

I was able to get a few books signed, and I wanted to give them away to blog readers and hopefully you have or will enjoy these reads!  I've decided to have two prize packs:

 (NOTE: "Legend" and "Shadow and Bone" are paperbacks, "Harbinger" and "Possess" are hardcovers.)

What you need to know:

1. OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY.  Sorry international visitors. :(
2. There are two prizes - 
1. Prize A: is (1) autographed copy of "Legend" by Marie Lu and (1) autographed copy of "Harbinger" by Sara Wilson Etienne. 
2. Prize B: is (1) autographed copy of "Possess" by Gretchen McNeil and (1) autographed copy of "Shadow and Bone" by Leigh Bardugo.  
3. I will pick TWO winners - the first name will get first choice - whether they would like Prize A or B, and the second winner will be notified of which books they are getting.  If my notification email is not responded to within 72 hours, a new winner will be chosen.  If the first name winner is the one who does not reply, the second name will get first choice.
4. This giveaway is open for a week - from today to next Monday, May 20th Midnight.  
5. All prizes will be sent ASAP with tracking numbers through USPS, but I am not responsible for lost or misplaced parcels.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am disappointed I was not able to attend all the panels at this event and I missed out on hearing from more amazing authors, but I would like to list here the names of all the author attendees and a link to their book(s) on Goodreads.

Stephen Chbosky "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
Carrie Arcos "Out of Reach"
Leigh Bardugo "Shadow and Bone"
Jennifer Bosworth "Struck"
Jessica Brody "Unremembered"
Sara Wilson Etienne "Harbinger"
Suzanne Lazear "Innocent Darkness"
Marie Lu "Legend" & "Prodigy"
Morgan Matson "Amy and Roger's Epic Detour"
Gretchen McNeil "Possess" & "Ten"
Gregg Olsen "Envy"
Andrew Smith "Winger"
Ann Stampler "Where It Began"
Lex Thomas "Quarantine: The Loners"