YALLFEST 2012 RECAP

 

 

 

SO. If you've been following my blog, you know I went to YALLFEST  a couple weeks ago. YALLFEST is a Young Adult Book Festival held in Charleston, South Carolina. I went with my fellow book lover friend Jessica who has her own blog at Deus Ex Blogina and also guest posts at Wastepaper Prose. Here she is holding a 30 dollar Hershey's bar that's as big as her upper body. Who wants smores?!?

YALLFEST was  a great experience and a perfect first book event for me. Everyone was so friendly; the fellow book lovers, the staff and volunteers and the authors. I didn't see any elbows being thrown or pushing and shoving.  Yay for being nice!

I went in with a mission and a plan, which was good because there was SOO much going. I felt a little bit like a paparazzi a couple times when I spotted Reading Angel and Down the Rabbit Hole. I just stared at them. I was too shy to say hello. Haha. I ALSO got to meet Asheley from Into the Hall of Books! She always comments on my blog posts and we seem to have a lot in common so it was great to finally see her in person!

Jenny Han- I love her and I heart this picture. It makes me giggle. I'm SUCH an ace photographer!

Hands down, the best author panel I attended was YA Girl Band! This panel rocked!! The authors were awesome and hilarious and all played off each other. My favorites in particular were Jenny Han, Simone Elkeles, Stephanie Perkins and Elizabeth Eulberg. I LOVED seeing all their different personalities. It makes you just love them even more. Yes Stephanie Perkins is as cute in person as you expect with her pink hair. And Simone Elkeles was def one of my faves. If she decided to give up writing I could totally see her as a stand-up comic. And Elizabeth Eulberg cracked me up many a time.

 

The authors I got books signed by included: Jenny Han, Stephanie Perkins, Cassandra Clare, David Levithan, Gayle Forman, Carry Ryan, and Simone Elkeles. YAY! My first signed books :)








SO. In the tent where they had the major author signings there were also some independent/indie authors. Well. I got duped in to a mercy buy. Well okay two. So there was this author guy in the tent and every person who got within a 3 foot radius of him he would start pitching his book like a used car salesman. SO me and my good buddy Jessica were finished up with a signing and heading out of the tent. Well we had to walk past this guy and I got caught. Jessica, being the good buddy ole pal that she is hid behind me and sneaked out. I don't like to hurt people's feelings and I felt bad that no one was going to his table so I bought his book. And then I bought the second book too. I can't say no! I couldn't bear to see the sadness in his eyes!  And I'm never ever going to read them. So yeah.


MARGARET (MARGIE) STOHL is AWESOME! She's this tiny little person but she's so full of energy and life and is hilarious. There were a lot of great moments involving her. Like this:

 

My second favorite panel was In Production with Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments) and Kami Garci & Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures) talking about their upcoming book to movie adaptations. They showed us never before seen footage of both films and gave us some insights into the production. ESPECIALLY Cassandra Clare. Oh man. I'm most stoked for City of Bones!!
No pictures allowed but I found this one on the internets, these two are just adorbs!

LAST but DEF not least was YA Smackdown where the authors all get on stage and make fools of themselves. I didn't realize authors had such dirty minds! There were quite a few sexual jokes and I was laughing so hard at times my stomach hurt!

 

Overall, YALLFEST was an excellent experience and everyone should go next year! And don't forget to take a buddy!! 

I can't complete this post without saying something about the city of Charleston itself. It's quite delightful and lovely and wonderful. I would LOVE to live in one of the GIGANTIC mansions with the secret gardens and pathways with a water view.  I just have to find me a rich husband first...

In Charleston, South Carolina you can find the following: (WARNING: I'm about to go a a little picture crazy :)

 

Charleston is a tree-lover's paradise! Gorgeous giant trees, perfect for climbing or sitting under with a good book! 

 

The sign does NOT lie! Delicious authentic eyetalian food!

 

 

AND I'm done. Great trip. Great company. Fun times!