BEA 2014 Recap — in tweets (and retweets)!

WEDNESDAY: Arrival in NYC and Book Blogger Con

After a 4am wakeup, I met Sara at the train station!

Waiting for the train to NYC in 30th St Station with @sara_sans_h for #BEA2014! pic.twitter.com/C4SSrCvAw0
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 28, 2014

No better way to start #bea2014 than with @maureenjohnson's Book Blogger Con keynote!
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 28, 2014

(Maureen was hilarious.)

"Comparing all YA novels to Twilight is like saying there haven't been any TV shows since Dallas." - @maureenjohnson
— Evil Wylie (@EvilWylie) May 28, 2014

And my theme for BEA emerged: Restraint! I ended up with a goal of no more than 20 books total ... which I repeated ad nauseam during the rest of BEA, to hold myself to it.

Looking through the list of books/authors at #BEA14 is like Christmas morning. Must. Practice. Restraint.
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 28, 2014

#BEA14 for bibliophiles is like being let loose in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory after a three month diet.
— Megan Fishmann (@mfishmann) May 28, 2014

(Never was a truer tweet posted.)

This was the most worthwhile panel of Book Blogger Con, and it was great to hear from Smart Bitches, one of my favorite blogs!

Now we're in a packed room for @booksmugglers @cuddlebuggery and @SmartBitches! Another great panel at @beabloggers. pic.twitter.com/pHsWO9racM
— Quirk Books (@quirkbooks) May 28, 2014

The badge! But where is my lanyard?! Not a fan of this pin thing. #BEA14 pic.twitter.com/1gjvNwhRK5
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 28, 2014

Why the Book Blogger Con after party is awesome in one photo. Ready to hear some Tiger Beat with @sara_sans_h! pic.twitter.com/ao0VLHQQLn
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 28, 2014

Started my day off with @maureenjohnson and ended with @libbabray and Tiger Beat... Love it! #BEA14 pic.twitter.com/r5cOCG2Oku
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 28, 2014

Afterward, we checked into our apartment (2 blocks from Javits FOR THE WIN), ate dinner, and headed to the Houndstooth Pub for some drinks with other kidlit folks!

First #BEA14 selfie! @sara_sans_h @jackiedolamore and @donnagambale pic.twitter.com/krlqZcJPVF
— Frankie Diane Mallis (@frankiediane) May 29, 2014

The pub is so loud we made post - it note nametags. #BEA14 pic.twitter.com/jkGKF7snQA
— Frankie Diane Mallis (@frankiediane) May 29, 2014

THURSDAY: BEA Day One

In line at #BEA14 to meet @ActuallyNPH ... This is amazing. Good morning, Dr. Horrible!
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 29, 2014

As a rule, I don't get in the forever long celebrity author signing lines ... but I made an exception for NPH. And his book (Choose Your Own Autobiography) looks hilarious!

Yayyyy! #BEA14 pic.twitter.com/sb46nkNvke
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 29, 2014

Met @RL_Stine and got the first book in the Fear Street series revival ... Childhood revisited! #BEA14
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 29, 2014

This gives me such a giddy sense of nostalgia! #BEA14 pic.twitter.com/ZF8G6Yaxwp
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 29, 2014

Wednesday-Thursday #BEA14 books! So excited!!! #beahappy2read pic.twitter.com/QXbKWkT4dP
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 30, 2014

Afterward, Sara and I headed to Housing Works Books (pretty much the coolest bookstore/cafe ever) for a Rainbow Rowell reading.

Party @HousingWorksBks 2nite with Tumblr and @rainbowrowell, John Darnielle of @mountain_goats and @_catherinelacey! http://t.co/aZyvBe1767
— Flavorpill NYC (@flavorpill_nyc) May 29, 2014

FRIDAY: BEA Day Two

First line of the day at #BEA14 pic.twitter.com/bqhx1Opy20
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 30, 2014

I magically got the 2nd to last copy!Thanks @SJMaas for signing so many and for so long! #beahappy2read pic.twitter.com/vz9HFYUM48
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 30, 2014

Feel that? It’s the pull of a book urging you to come find it: @MartinaABoone signing COMPULSION at Autographing Area Table 19 at 2! #BEA14
— simonteen (@simonteen) May 30, 2014

My books from today! #BEA14 #beahappy2read So happy with all of them! pic.twitter.com/3334NOGTCK
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 30, 2014

SATURDAY: BEA Day Three
(AKA the day of BookCon ... dun dun dunnnnnnn)

All these BookCon people have fresh legs, and I'm one step away from my feet falling off. #BEA14
— Sara T.K. DeSabato (@sara_sans_h) May 31, 2014

One thing is for certain in @thebookcon line - the TFIOS/@realjohngreen fans are here in droves, & they have the shirts to prove it! #BEA14
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 31, 2014

So happy to support a lovely Philly writer friend (and BEA roomie!) I.W. Gregorio as she moderated this excellent panel!

I'll be at the #WeNeedDiverseBooks panel at 10, Room 1E02 to cheer on @pacylin, @mattdelapena, @JackieWoodson, and more. #TheBookCon #fb
— Alvina Ling (@planetalvina) May 31, 2014

#WeNeedDiverseBooks Panel!!! Go @IWGregorio! pic.twitter.com/h0xSB1qEnG
— Frankie Diane Mallis (@frankiediane) May 31, 2014

BookCon was INSANE. Total chaos, and most BEA-goers wanted no part of it.

So the #BEA14 side of Javits is like "Aruba, Jamaica, Ooooh I want to take you...." And Book Con is like@$$!!!÷÷% ££¥&^/###/%^^##_^^#$$$$
— Frankie Diane Mallis (@frankiediane) May 31, 2014

I tried three times to go into the BookCon area to meet authors doing signings, and each time I gave up and battled my way out of the madness. It reminded me of Black Friday sales, or what I imagine Black Friday sales to be, if I ever attempted one.

Just allowed myself to get roped into taking a picture with pirates, because it's that kind of day.
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 31, 2014

I also attended a BookCon panel with Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, and Maggie Stiefvater.

Great quote on why @hollyblack loves editing vs writing a first draft: "Like cleaning the toilet, I can't make it worse."
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 31, 2014

To sum up Saturday.

Every time I considered going from BEA exhibits into BookCon http://t.co/Pax2dC04Y1
— Donna Gambale (@donnagambale) May 31, 2014

I ended my four days in NYC with 19 books and a seat on an Amtrak Quiet Car train. Heaven!

Peace out #bea14!
— Sara T.K. DeSabato (@sara_sans_h) May 31, 2014

Final thoughts:

THE BOOKS AND AUTHORS - I was so happy to focus my BEA time on only getting books I really wanted, with a mix of debut and longtime favorite authors. I loved being able to enthuse to authors how excited I was to read their books ... and my shoulders hurt a lot less. Also, no need to check a rolling suitcase! Woo!

THE PEOPLE - It sounds crazy, but I love waiting in lines at BEA because of all the amazing book lovers you meet and bond with as you sit or stand with each other for up to an hour (and sometimes more, but I kept away from those lines!). Hello, new friends! I also got a chance to speak with super-friendly reps from HarperCollins and Quirk, which is wonderful, because who better to introduce you to great books than the people who help bring them into the world?

BLOGGER CON - As a first-timer but long-time blogger, I honestly didn't learn all that much, but Book Blogger Con did exactly what I wanted it to do — it renewed my enthusiasm for blogging, which honestly has been waning a bit. It inspired a couple new ideas that you'll all be seeing soon enough!

BOOKCON - Though you couldn't pay me to enter the exhibit area, I did enjoy the two smaller panels I was able to attend. But hopefully next year will run more smoothly, because I'm sure I'm not the only BEA-goer who was running scared.

OVERALL - This was my first full, four-day BEA experience, and as a third-year BEA veteran, I definitely subscribed to the less-is-more mantra. It really helped to keep me refreshed and happy and able to enjoy all that BEA has to offer! But next year, I want a lanyard for my nametag, dammit.