BEA '14: Hi! + My Tips and Tricks + My (Unofficial) BEA Project

BEA 2014 is nearly here! This time, next week, I'll have spent a few happy days hanging out with people who love books as much as I do - bloggers, authors and publishers alike. There are so many people (especially bloggers!) who I am hoping to see/meet, and so many books that sound like amazing reads that I'm hoping to check out (and possibly snag).

(Don't forget that I'm also co-hosting the 2014 BEA Book Blogger Picnic + BEA Blogger Meet and Drink! Full details in the post!)

So, basically, first of all, this is what I look like in real life:

Okay, maybe a wee bit older...

Okay, okay, kidding aside, I look exactly like I do in my profile photo (to the left!), but here's a real + current photo for reference:

It is highly likely that I will be constantly in a dress + cardigan + flats combination (and in pretty bright colors), so I should be easy to spot. I might tweet out a photo of my OOTD if I remember to, so you can see what I'm wearing and know for sure that you're saying hi to me (which I hope you do!).

Second of all, here are the things I think you should remember:

• DO: Take time during the first day to visit the booths of the publishers and map a mental layout of the convention in your brain. It'll definitely be easier to find your way and meet other people if you do this.
• DO: Bring your own food + water. Seriously. Save money. Have it on you to prevent any lightheadedness or fainting or hangry moments.
• DO: Bring your tote (or your suitcase for checking in). You'll be glad you have it! (Though I will say that they often give out totes during BEA itself.)
• DO: Check out events other than signings and galley drops! There are interesting panels, and events outside of BEA proper (in bookstores all over the city) that could be potentially fun.
• DO: Feel free to say hi to people you might recognize, especially bloggers. This is me saying please say hi and introduce yourself if you see me, and I promise that I will do the same! (Also, I try to sneak peeks of name tags if I'm not sure who I'm seeing -- and it almost always works to confirm.)
• DO: Enjoy yourself. You might not get everything done, but don't stress! Enjoy the fact that you're here, with all these lovely bookish people! Don't forget to enjoy New York and what it has to offer when it comes to food, theater + sights.
• DO NOT: Be afraid to ask someone about a galley you see they have! Chances are they can direct you to the right spot, or tell you what they know about it. Also, this goes the other way too -- share what you know!
• DO NOT: Forget to give out your calling cards or ask for someone else's! You'd want to remember who you meet (and who happens to be in your photos).
• DO NOT: Forget to take photos! Seriously, I love looking at photos of BEA when it's over for all the warm and fuzzy memories. But don't be invasive about it!
• DO NOT: Push. Shove. Grab more galleys than you should. Cut in line. Be invasive. Be rude in general. There's no place for that. We're all decent, respectable human beings and we should act that way!
• DO NOT: Forget to smile. Seriously. You're at one of the biggest book-related events of the year so you should be happy!

Third, you might possibly find me in these lines/drops:

• Sarah J. Maas (for Heir of Fire) - A given, since it's me! #throneofglassfangirl
• Rebecca Serle (for Famous in Love) - If you haven't read Rebecca's novels, get on it.
• Morgan Matson (for Since You've Been Gone) - Please let me meet her. Third time's the charm?
• Garth Nix (for Clariel) - I love this series. So does my husband. It'll be a win for us both!
• Mortal Heart galley drop - BECAUSE I NEED IT.

Fourth, here are some random facts about me (which can be conversation starters):

• Authors: JK Rowling, Tamora Pierce, Sarah J. Maas, Rick Riordan, Jodi Meadows, Rae Carson, Marissa Meyer, Emery Lord, Jennifer E. Smith, Jessi Kirby, Gayle Forman, Trish Doller, Diana Peterfreund, Samantha Shannon, Susan Dennard, Lisa Kleypas, to start
• TV: Once Upon a Time, Agents of SHIELD, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals (currently)
• Music: Westlife, NSYNC, Taylor Swift, The Script, Lea Michele, Demi Lovato, Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, Imagine Dragons
• I have a sweet tooth, and will eat most sweets as long as chocolate is involved.
• I drink coffee like it is water, though I'm trying to be better about that.
• I'm a bit of an introvert, so cue awkward first meetings....
• ... but once we've met, I can get extremely babbly and will start chatting you up.
• I'm drawn to Disney, and anything related to it. Parks, movies, songs, merchandise, shows - you name it, we can talk about it. (This is something I bonded with Estelle over.)
• I'm selectively OCD. I like having everything - pens, medicine, batteries, etc - in my bag, and being prepared with schedules + the like.
• I collect notebooks like nobody's business. And post cards. And buttons. And shoes. And books, obviously.
• I love traveling. I have many grand plans, and one of them is to visit my dream destination: LONDON.
• I am very silly and awkward. You may witness me giggling like a madwoman, singing out loud, or doing weird happy dances in person. Don't be afraid - this is my normal state (when it happens to surface, anyway).

There you have it, my totally random post about BEA '14! I won't be writing about everything that happens until it's all over, but you can check out my Twitter + Instagram for updates while I'm there.

Oh! I almost forgot -- my "unofficial" project. Well, it's pretty simple - Let me take a selfie with you! I love collecting photos, and I obviously want to remember meeting all of you. So if you're up for it, say yes when I ask to take a selfie of us -- and I'll include it in my recap like I did with last year's. I want to see how expansive my collage is going to get this year!