Holly's NYC Teen Author Carnival/BEA/2K10 Pictoral!

What a trip! I (Holly) came home totally brimming with the wonder of meeting so many book lovers and bloggers and other authors - and a few pics!

First, there was the Teen Author Carnival, organized the amazing trio of Mitali Dave, Devyn Burton, and Korianne Wey. It was incredibly well done. There were tons of authors I've been hoping to meet, and they were there! Jeri Smith-Ready, Amy Brecount White, Lauren Oliver (Story Secrets), Sarah Darer Littman, Linda Gerber, Michelle Zink, Jon Skovron, and more...plus many, many bloggers I've been dying to meet: Kristi of The Story Siren, Shelli Johannes-Wells of Market My Words, James of BookChic, Steph of Steph Su Reads, S.F. Robertson of Wastepaper Prose, Chelsea of The Page Flipper, Erica of The Book Cellar, Pam of Bookalicio.us, Laura of I'm Booking It, so many more...and...

Sharon Loves Cats! I will always be devoted to Sharon (and owe her litters and litters of adorable kitties) for being the first to read, review, and declare her love for TELL ME A SECRET:




I was on the Love & Heartbreak panel. To my right: Simone Elkeles, Kieran Scott, Susane Colasanti, and Alexandra Diaz's gorgeous hair:

To my left, Sarah Ockler, Kody Keplinger, Elizabeth Scott (Story Secrets) and Gayle Forman (hiding!), and Heidi Kling:

And amazing audience #3!

The asked such fantastic questions, and we laughed a lot about the various forms of relationships in YA. Thanks to all of you for coming!

Then we headed downstairs for signings, and I gave away a ton of my TELL ME A SECRET 2-chapter previews. (I still have a bunch to give away at my blog before the 6/22 release!)

But the coolest thing was that when I visited my editor earlier that day, she gave me the very first copy of the very first book (from which I did my very first reading in the TAC panel!). I was quite excited to be holding a real, live copy of my own book, which awesome blogger Reverie Book Reviews captured:

I finally got to meet fellow readergirlz diva/amazing author Elizabeth Scott in person:

Caught up with fellow readergirlz diva/YA queen Melissa Walker:

And met the incomparable Barry Lyga - as smart and funny and nice as you would expect him to be (plus he just blurbed my friend Conrad Wesselhoeft's incredible book, ADIOS, NIRVANA for 10/10):

And the very cool and nice YA author Stephanie Kuenert (kee-nert, I now know!), whose writing I love:

Bravo to Mitali, Devyn, and Korianne for putting together such an incredible event - topped off by getting to go out with a bunch of the authors from the other panels, including Courtney Scheinmel, who I know think is probably a soulmate. I was too shy to say hi to Ned Vizzini (I loved Kind of a Funny Story...hi, Ned!).

The next day (after a very exciting, top-secret meeting with...ack, I'm dying to tell you! Soon...), I headed over to BEA. I forgot to take pics there, but I did do a drive-by of the garment district. Oooh, fabric!

Then there was the wonder-ous event at Books of Wonder (my new favorite NYC haunt) with the Class of 2K10! Check them out!

Here was the blow-your-socks-off 2K10 Roster:

SWATI AVASHTI - Split
ALEXANDRA DIAZ - Of All the Stupid Things
JERI SMITH-READY - Shade
JENNIFER R. HUBBARD - The Secret Year
KITTY KESWICK - Freaksville
JUDITH GRAVES - Under My Skin
JANET FOX - Faithful
BONNIE J DOERR - Island Sting
JAME RICHARDS - Three Rivers Rising
SHARI MAURER - Change of Heart
LEAH CYPESS - Mistwood
IRENE LATHAM - Leaving Gee's Bend
RHONDA HAYTER - The Witchie Worries of Abbie Adams
SHANNON DELANY - 13 to Life
ERICA PERL - Vintage Veronica
DENISE JADEN - Losing Faith

I was really excited to see my old friend Swati Avasthi (see her SPLIT Story Secrets here):

And fellow Circle of Secrets gal Jennifer Hubbard and her sizzling debut (Story Secrets here):

And(!) my dear and FAITHFUL friend Janet Fox (Story Secrets here):

And I snapped an adorable shot of Mitali from the Teen Author Carnival, who has to be one of the most brilliant and book-loving gals around. I told her when it was time for letters of recommendation, there will probably be 30 authors lined up to give her one!

It was especially cool to meet Shari Maurer, Denise Jaden, and Irene Latham, who I ended up hanging out with quite a bit. And all of the women in this post should join GLOP (Gorgeous Ladies of Publishing) stat!

On Wednesday, I headed to HarperMedia Studio, where I was interviewed for a video by my editor! They matted me up and chatted sci-fi and books and were quite patient with my lack of media savvy. The final product will soon be available at my HarperTeen site.

I loved meeting all of you and celebrating successes and YA admiration. That was the best part!

~Holly Cupala