ALA 2013

 Alright, so we have slacked a bit in the past two weeks, but Taylor-tot and I walked around Ala! (If any of you went, and saw a girl walking around holding an itty bitty baby on Saturday... that was me!) Ala was crazy and fun! I picked up quite a few ARCS, as did my mom and husband. We went Saturday and Monday, and with the cost of parking, books, and passes, we spent about $300, but came out with about 150 books. I know, CRAZY!

ALA Annual, for those of you who do not know, is the big conference for librarians. They have an exhibit hall, where tons of publishers and companies come out and try to gain your business or get their names/titles out there. Unfortunately, due to the baby, I could not attend the actual conference. However I was able to walk around the exhibit halls with the little one in tow. 

On Saturday, I had quite a few book signings! I met Marissa Moss, who signed Mira's Diary: Home Sweet Rome. 

My mother met Kevin Luthardt and had to buy his book and have him sign it to Taylor. He even drew Edgar! How cute is that?!

On Monday, the grandparents watched Taylor so my husband and I could go. We met Robert Forbes who not only signed his book to my daughter, he also tweeted a picture of us standing in line. Can you spot me? (I'm in black at the back of the line.)

(Are any of these ladies you?)

I also met Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Stephanie Evanovich, and Elizabeth Wein!

Monday was the last day of the exhibits, so the publishers either gave away their display copies or sold them for CHEAP. In fact, while we were leaving, we decided to stop in at Harper Collins' booth. Their children section had been selling for a while, so when we arrived, there wasn't anybody in the booth. We picked up 2 books, because we were told hardcovers were $10 and paperbacks were $5. We picked the two Fancy Nancy books (I ADORE Fancy Nancy!) and headed towards the woman collecting the money. When we pulled out our money, we were told they were now selling hardcovers at $3, and paperbacks for $1!

Yes, you read that right! We had $40 cash on us when we entered.... not so much when we left. :) 

You may be asking, what exactly does $300 get 4 people and a baby at a book conference? Well, here's the books we had autographed! Duplicates are my mother's.

I can NOT wait until the next school year to start! I'm starting up a new Lunch Book Chat group, and a book club, and I have grand plans for these books! Well, once I've read and reviewed them, that is! :) 

Did anyone else attend ALA? Let me know! :)

Jenni