Orange County Children's Book Festival - 2011

Today, Mary and I attended the Orange County Children's Book Festival in Costa Mesa, CA. All of the panels and authors were really amazing. My favorite panels were "Keeping it Real" with Heidi Kling, Jessi Kirby, Lindsey Leavitt, Kristen Hubbard and Andrew Smith and "Paranormal Tendencies" with Emma Michaels, Inora Scott, Cindy Pon and Gretchen McNeil.

We got a great haul for some giveaways we'll be posting. We learned about some cool books that are on our "To Be Read" list if they haven't been there already (I've had my eye on Possess for a while and I know Mary has been itching to read Silver Phoenix).

The panels and author events ran very smoothly and we were cracking up a lot. We took a lot of photos and I hope you enjoy checking them out.

We got a ton of signatures and some SWAG courtesy of the authors. Whoever comments first on this blog post will receive some SWAG from today's event.

Thanks and Happy Reading!

YA Rising Authors at Once Upon a Time Bookstore - August 7, 2011

Author Events and Giveaway Opportunities

I am really excited about an author event I heard about on twitter, from @Novaren. On Sunday, August 7 at 1:30 PM, four amazing YA authors will be at an event at Once Upon a Time Bookstore in Montrose, CA.

• Nova Ren Suma (Imaginary Girls)
• Cindy Pon (Fury of the Phoenix)
• Suzanne Young (A Need So Beautiful)
• Holly Goldberg Sloan (I'll Be There)

I look forward to going to the event with my booktwin and purchasing some books to give away on our blog. If [you] follow or are following our blog before the event date (8/7), AND you enter the contest, you will have an extra advantage (+2) for a contest I'll be announcing on Sunday. The contest will be international again and open to those 13 years and older. Don't worry about having to keep track of all of the +1 points, we'll keep track of everything. (Followers after 8/7 will have a +1)

Anyone else able to attend the event this Sunday? (Please click on the link below for additional details) I've got to finish Imaginary Girls and A Need So Beautiful! :)

Meet YA Rising Authors: Nove Ren Suma, Cindy Pon, Suzanne Young and Holly Goldberg Sloan in Montrose, CA

Thanks to the authors and the lovely people at Once Upon A Time Bookstore in Montrose, CA.

Which books have you read so far?