ALA adventures {very late}

At some point in time I’m going to start video blogging, but for now I’m just gonna write a little bit.

As everyone knows {or SHOULD know} Mom and I have been in Virginia (and DC) the past two weeks. 3 days out of those two weeks were spent at ALA. Because Simon &Schuster love Mom so much they let me and Laura go, too!!
I figured I’d talk a little bit about that. People don’t usually care about other peoples vacations but ehh.

So the first day Mom had to go to some weird “Coffee Clatch” thing. It’s kind of like speed dating–with librarians being your future dates. And before she did that, she was “forced” to sit in a room with a lot of the famous authors that were attending ALA. {Ally Condie was there!} I couldn’t believe how many famous people were all squished in that room {okay, not squished but…the room was filled}–Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, Libba Bray, Ally Condie, Terry Trueman, and Elizabeth Scott, just to name a few. I felt so starstruck watching all these these authors. {And chatting a little bit with a few, even!}

After that Laura and I wandered around and gathered up books! FREE BOOKS. Even hardcovers, not just ARCS! It was exciting.

Little did we know, something awful was going on over at the S&S booth. From what I gathered from Mom she was signing copies of her new book GLIMPSE {see my review on this book a few pages back} when out of nowhere some little girl with crooked snake bites walked up and started talking to her.

Crooked Snake Bite Girl: Oh, so you wrote this book. Did you want me to tell you what I didn’t like about it?
Amazing Mother: No
Crooked Snake Bite Girl: I really didn’t get it, or like it. blah blah blah blah So are these girls black or white?
Amazing Mother: Does it matter?
Crooked Snake Bite Girl: No white girl would ever use the word “white trash” to describe another white girl. So are they black? Oh, You wrote THE CHOSEN ONE, too? I really didn’t like that book either. You know who is a good writer? Ellen Hopkins. Now she’s a real poet. So will you sign my shirt?
Amazing Mother:*signs shirt!!!* {I can’t believe she signed that skank’s shirt!!!}

I was SO pissed I wasn’t there. If I had been there I would have smacked that little girl in the face!

Afterward though, something amazing happened. TO ME! I got a “contract” from Paula Wiseman from S&S. I’m posting it on here for all to see. And a few snap shots! So if you feel like skipping all the text just scroll down and check out the  pictures.

{Mom signed over at St Martins Press, too, and signed every single copy of THE CHOSEN ONE that they brought. Awesome, right?!}

We went to a dinner with a bunch of famous people, too. I got free copies of all their books {and a few arcs} and they signed all of them.
Holly Black, Ellen Hopkins, Elizabeth Scott, Sharon Draper and of course MOM were all there, and they each spoke.

Mom gave an amazing speech and everyone just died because it was so great. And Ellen Hopkins did a kindasorta anti-Twilight impression that I loved. She also told me to tell Mom not to be afraid to write the truth. WOOWOO. I got an ARC of ZOMBIES VS UNICORNS {edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier}, which I read the next day at my grandpa’s house. {Review coming soon. I enjoyed the book a lot.}

The last thing we did was go and listen to the Printz speeches. Deborah Heiligman {CHARLES AND EMMA} gave an amazing speech about her husband and her book. And Rick Yancy {MONSTRUMOLOGIST} was hilarious. He told us about a rejection letter that he got that only said “give up.” Can you imagine?

Anyway, It was a great week. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Mom’s gorgeous book

Me with M. T Anderson!!!!!

Laurie Halse Anderson and me at her signing booth for her new book Forge.

John Green, Me and Laura. {clearly he was on the run…}

Elizabeth Scott!!

Holly Black showing everyone how to be a Con Artist

Review of Matched coming soon!!!

My contract from Paula Wiseman. teehee! I HAD to make this image giant because I love it so much.