Well today is my first day at BookExpo America and when I woke up this morning I was very nervous since I have never been the Javits Center before and I was going there alone. I was going to meet up with Tori the Book Faery at 9AM so that we could get to the Press Registration together and then hang out until we would go our separate ways since we have different tastes. I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted to since I was just so overwhelmed with how big the place was and how many people there was at BEA. I didn't actually have my entire day planned out like Tori did so I didn't get to see everything that I wanted too but I hope that next year I will plan things much better now that I know somewhat the layout and the chaos of the place. So after leaving my apartment in Queens at around 7:30AM I took the E train to 34th Street Penn Station and I had to walk 5 to 6 blocks in a straight line before I finally found the Javits Center. I didn't know exactly where it was since like I said I never been there but I walked straight from 8th Avenue on 34th Street all the way to 11th Avenue and I finally found the very big Javits Center. There were so many people there that I had to stop in the very hot sun for about 5 minutes to figure out that I was in the right place as well to take out my cell phone so that I can see if Tori was on her way.

Tori took a taxi to the Javits Center which I thought was very smart of her since I was practically dying of heat from my long walk to the Center not 20 minutes before we finally met in person in front of the Center. We walked in and I was so happy but shocked at how many people were actually there for BEA and when we finally found the Press Registration we got everything settled. I then followed Tori to her first autograph signing since I was a bit early for my planed signing which was at 10AM. So I got in line with Tori to get a signed copy of Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey at around 9:30AM give or take several minutes waiting on the line. I had my camera with me but doofus that I was didn't take the wonderful author's picture when I had the chance so I could post it here. After we left with our signed copies we wandered around while we waited for our next scheduled signing which was fun since we stopped by the Penguin Group USA booth and got some cool little bags to take with us. We actually talked with romance author Sophie Jordan and didn't know it until she introduced herself and Tori recognized her name which was pretty cool.

After that we went our separate way with the intention of meeting up again a bit later so I went to wait on line to get an autographed copy of Linda Lael Miller's just released novel, The McKettricks of Texas: Garret, which I was so happy to get signed by her because I love her and her books which I have made my mission to collect all of them. After I got her book signed I went immediately to Susan Mallery's line to get an Advanced Readers Copy of her upcoming novel, Almost Perfect, which is the second book in her Fool's Gold series. I couldn't believe I was actually meeting her since I've read several of her books and even reviewed for Manic Readers the first 3 books of her Lone Star Sisters series. When I left Susan Mallery's table I went to meet up with Tori at the HarperCollins booth and we walked around a bit to kill some time until the next signing which would be the Harlequin YA Paranormal at the Harlequin booth signing which had Gena Showalter, Rachel Vincent, Maria Snyder and one more author I can't remember the name of right now. I waited on Gena Showalter's line first to get an signed copy of her YA novel Intertwined which I was happy to get since I've been meaning to buy a copy but never did. Now this time I actually took a picture of Gena after she signed my copy of her book and I asked her permission first since you never know some authors might not want their pictures taken.

Now after I stood in line for Gena I made the heroic decision to get on the large line of Rachel Vincent. There were so many people there that it was getting a bit warm after a long while even though I'm sure the entire place is air conditioned. It took a while but I finally got Rachel Vincent to sign a copy of her latest YA release, My Soul to Keep, which is the 3rd book in her wonderful Soul Screamers series. I love this series and I was very excited to meet her in person as well as get a signed copy of her novel since I've been anxiously waiting for it's release since I finished reading the prevoius book in the series. I was also lucky enough to remember to ask her if I could take a picture of her after she signed my copy and I think she is such a wonderful lady after chatting with her for about 2 minutes since there were so many people behind me waiting for their turn. I was going to go on Maria Snyder's line to get a signed copy of her YA novel Inside Out but there were just too many people that I knew I would never get a copy so I left Tori to take a break in the Press Room. By that time it was already past 12PM and my feet were killing me as well as my shoulders since I brought my backpack to carry my lunch. I made several tuna fish sandwichs that I made that morning with 2 bottles of ice water that I had put in the freezer the night before. I walked around when I felt that I wouldn't collapse and I found some other pretty cool booths on my walk though I was not like the other people who would stop at a booth and pick up any of the books they wanted to. I actually took another break at the Harlequin Spain section, which was pretty large, because they had such wonderful chairs and tables that people weren't using at the time. I ate part of my lunch there while I waited for the next signing hour which was at 1PM in the Harlequin booth.

When I finished my lunch I read a bit to kill some time so when I saw that they were preparing for the Kimani Press signing. I found that Gwynne Forster was going to be there signing so because I interviewed her during the Romantic Times BOOKlovers convention I had to meet her and get an signed copy of her book. I was about the first person on the line and I got Gwynne Forster to sign a copy of her novel Yes, I Do then I saw that Brenda Jackson's line wasn't that long so I went and I got her to sign a copy of her novel Hidden Pleasures. After I finished that I went back to the table and chair I was sitting at before so that I can relax one more time before I went to the Romance Writer's of America booth to go to Elizabeth Scott's signing which I was looking forward to meeting and her her book. I found out about Elizabeth Scott and her book from the wonderful website Free Book Friday Teens that is run by Jessica Brody. I was really tired by this time so when I got on the line to get a signed copy of Elizabeth Scott's current novel Unwritten Rule I went to the Press Room one more time to sit down for a bit. I planned to wait until 3PM since Richelle Mead and Simone Elkeles were supposed to be at the Autographing section signing their books Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy series, Book 5) and Return to Paradise. I was also planning to wait again for 4PM when Melissa Marr and Cecily Von Ziegesar were supposed to be at the Autographing section signing their books Radiant Shadows and Cum Laude. I didn't wait until 3PM because I was so exhausted that I knew I couldn't go on any longer without dying from exhaustion after standing and walking for about 6 hours straight. So I left the Javits Center by myself and starting my very long walk to the 34th Street Penn Station subway entrance that like I said was about 5 to 6 block away. I should also mention that at the time it was super hot outside so since I have ashma I had to stop ever 5 to 10 minutes and drop my large bag of books so I could rest for a bit. It took me a long time to get to the subway station but when I did I was so happy because I wanted to get home as soon as possible. I had such a wonderful time even though I had to take a long cold shower and sleep like the dead after I finished writing this blog post. I'm now not all that sure I want to go tomorrow but in the end I probably will because I can't pass up another day where I will get to meet some of my favorite authors who will be signing their books for me for FREE. So watch out for tomorrow's post which I will hopefully have more pictures for you all to enjoy.