I did something extremely exciting two weekends ago! I got the amazing opportunity to once again to attend The Festival of Books at USC in Los Angeles! It's a two day event, where an amazingly talents list of authors attend. It's so huge, and authors are just walking among everyone else! (Which I know, they do anyway in life, but it's still so cool, because you never know who you are going run into!)
Today is for Part 1 of the event, because I attended both days, and took many photos, plus all my new beautiful signed copies that I get to add to my shelf!!!
Day 1, Saturday, started with my AMAZING boyfriend and I heading out at 8:30 in the morning, because we live about an hour and a half away from USC. We got there a little after ten, grabbed a map, and headed to our (or rather my) first event of the day...Sarah Dessen.
I've been a huge fan of Sarah's since I started seriously reading my freshmen year of high school ten years ago. I own every single book by Sarah, and brought every single one to the event...No joke! I was that person that everyone stared at as I pulled every single copy out of my backpack!
When I went up to Sarah at the signing table, I said, "I'm sorry, there are so many!" And she immediately said, "Don't be sorry!! You're the reason I get to do this!" I also brought my imported copy of a short story Sarah had published back in the UK, Infinity, which she thought was really cool!
So yes, Sarah Dessen was SOOO nice!
Sarah at the conversation
Do you see my stack?!
Me and Sarah
Here are all my signed copies:
Next it was off to see Kirsten Hubbard!
Kirsten at the conversation
Kirsten was so great too! I bought a copy of her latest novel (her middle grade debut), Watch the Sky at the vendor's table, and so I was able to get all three of her books signed!
Signed "Never Stop searching for beauty"
Signed "Look Up"
Signed "Have you ever been in love?"
So cute!!
Kirsten and me
After Kirsten, the day immediately kept going! My poor boyfriend, I was dragging this man around with me, but he was such a good sport!
Next up...Jenny Han and Elizabeth Eulberg!
Jenny Han at the conversation
Elizabeth Eulberg is third from left and Jenny Han is at the far right
Jenny Han and me
Elizabeth Eulberg and me
And here are my signed copies!
Signed "Bravo Mandy! DREAM BIG!" Elizabeth Eulberg
Before I go on to the last event of the day, I want to give a HUGE shoutout to my boyfriend let's call him "V" on here). I ended up forgetting my copy of Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg in my car, and I was bummed because I had bought it to get signed that weekend (I've been wanting to read it since it came out, so I thought why not buy it and get it signed?!). Anyway, V said immediately, without me even having to ask, "I'll go get it." The car was not anywhere near close to the field where the signing was happening! And USC is HUGE!!! It took him 20 minutes, and along the way he also took my already full backpack of signed copies, and went to the car. He is honestly absolutely amazing! Did I also mention he carried a backpack of MY books around too??!! Like I said, absolutely amazing man!! I'm telling you guys, he is a keeper! <3
Anyway, last but not least, it was time to go to the last signing of the day...David Levithan.
But along the way, I overheard a big star who was made an appearance that day on stage, talking, so I had to run over and take a quick picture...
Billy Idol!!! Dancing with Myself ring a bell!!
Yeah that was pretty cool! I am a huge fan of 80s music! Apparently he sang a bit of "Rebel Yell" on stage! Which probably was awesome! I only heard a piece of the interview, and it was Billy replying to a question with "Well, I don't remember much of my touring days, but I put into my book the ones I do." Billy wrote a memoir entitled Dancing With Myself.
But anyway...back to meeting David Levithan!
Now I haven't read any of his single authored books, only his co-authored book, with Rachel Cohn Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, which I read back when it first came out as an ARC, and absolutely fell in love with!!
I bought a copy of his other co-authored book with Rachel Cohn, Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List, the week before and got that signed too!
Signed "To Mandy, be dashing, Be daring!"
He seems really nice!
So all in all Day 1 of Festival of Books was a great success!!! I got to meet everyone we set out to, and had my man along the way with me! It was the first time he got to see me in action too! :)
Stay tuned for tomorrow, when I'll be posting Day 2 of my adventure at Festival of Books! Trust me when I say you won't want to miss it!!
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Awesome .... Very jealous! I love Sarah Dessen especially.
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