Tuesday, July 12, 2011

ALA Recap

Holy mother of all shiny things. I went to ALA, my first big conference, and it was one of epic magnitude.

I think pictures can say it all:
The view from my hotel. 

POSSESSION in the S&S booth! What great neighbors. (And a totally surreal experience.)

After dinner by myself (boo hoo), I met up with people! Real people--like PJ Hoover!

And Shannon Messenger. NO LIE.

And my agent-mates and friends, Kirsten Hubbard and Kate Hart.

Then we went to an S&S event: a dessert reception. That's Jo-Somebody (I seriously can't remember her name! Elana FAIL), me, Shannon, and my editor, Anica Rissi.

Sunday, on the floor at ALA. 

Sunday night, socializing at the swanky W hotel. L-R: Michelle Hodkin, Jessica Martinez, me, Shannon Messenger, Carolina Valdez-Miller, Kirsten Hubbard, Kate Hart, Kari Olsen, Jessi Kirby

Monday morning Bookanista breakfast. (Jessi Kirby, Carol Miller, me, Michelle Hodkin, Shannon Messenger)

Monday: Jessi and I on the floor--by our books!

Monday, I had a signing at Octavia books. This is the display when you walk in. Corey thought I was weird because I said the store smelled like books. But it did! So many bookstores smell like coffee. Octavia was books through and through.

The group signing at Octavia. Me, Jenny Han, Jessi Kirby, Corey Whaley.

Monday night, I had a debut author event with teen librarians. Here's the panel set up. Possession is in the center.

The other debut authors: Top, Jenny Han, Corey Whaley, France O'Roarke Dowell, Michelle Hodkin. Bottom: Jessica Martinez, Jessi Kirby, me, David Hinton

Me, signing for librarians. LIBRARIANS. The nicest people on the planet, BTW.

The debut author books on the floor.

Simon Pulse people at the debut author event. That's my publisher, Mara, me, Jessica Martinez, and our editor, Anica Rissi.

Last day beignets. We stuffed our faces, what can I say?? Cristin Moor, me, Jessi Kirby, Carol Miller, and Sara McClung.

Have you ever met up with your Internet friends? Been to a big conference? Do tell.

41 comments:

Natalie Aguirre said...

Sounds so awesome. Wish I was there. And no, I haven't met any Internet friends yet.

Angie Lockett said...

Wow, it looks like you had a fantastic time! I've never been to a big conference (yet!), but I have met my critique partner/internet friend before. She came up to visit me a couple years ago (and several times since)and she is every bit as awesome in real life. We alway spend the entire weekend giggling. I now count her as one of my closest friends.

Christina Lee said...

YAY!!!!!!

Love all the pics (I'll BET it was surreal)! It's so nice to meet up with writer/bloggy friends, isn't it?

Wow, love how POSSESSION took center stage (I shall live vicariously through you)! xoxo

Carol Kilgore said...

I've met a few internet friends - it's always been fun. I've been to a fairly big conference, but nothing like ALA.

I love New Orleans!

Theresa Milstein said...

You seriously have the coolest hair. Look at all those writers! I would've loved to have been there.

I've met two blogging buddies in Ireland. At NESCBWI, I've met a few bloggers I knew on-line but didn't realize were attending the conference. It's a surreal moment when you recognize someone from a picture.

Miranda Hardy said...

Not yet, but I look forward to it one day.

Matthew MacNish said...

I saw a dude in one of those pictures.

AHHHH! That could have been me.

Donna K. Weaver said...

Love the pictures! Wasn't this in New Orleans? Isn't it awesome? The beignets were yummy but my favorite was visiting St. James Square. My heck. I'm so dumb I didn't realize all the streets on Monopoly were real places. And it had Hagrid's hut!

Glad you had fun.

Michelle D. Argyle said...

I wish all bookstores smelled like books! Glad you had an awesome time, Elana. :)

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

Funnnnn! I did my ALA post today too :)

I MISS those beignets. A lot. I mean, A LOT.

It was so fun hanging out, Elana <3 ESPECIALLY that last night with all the room service and all the dessert. Yum!

Renae said...

Looks like you had an amazing time! Thanks for sharing your pics!

Anonymous said...

Wow. These pics are GREAT!!! So much fun! Enjoy the journey!

Susanne Winnacker said...

It looks like you had tons of fun!!!

Miriam Forster said...

No to both those things--at least as far as my writing friends go. BUT MAYBE NEXT YEAR!

*preemptive squee*

Also, I'm pretty sure that's Jo Whittemore in that photo. She is full of win. :)

Talli Roland said...

Fun fun FUN!

Fantastic pics!

I've just come back from the Romantic Novelists' Association (UK) conference and it was loads of fun. With lots of wine! I'll need a week to recover from it!

Nicole Zoltack said...

It looks like you had a blast! And you have to get beignets when you go to NOLA. It's a rite of passage or something. Although it's not such a good idea if you're wearing black pants... not saying I did that or anything but let's just say never again.

Elana Johnson said...

Miriam -- yes!! Jo Whittemore! Thank you! I looked all over to find her name, and I couldn't. Thank you, thank you.

Shannon Messenger said...

Ahhh--this makes me both ridiculously giddy and super sad that you're so far away again. Wish we could teleport so we could hang out all the time!

(but why do I have a feeling you're glad you don't have to see me so often) :)

Christine Fonseca said...

One word - EPIC!

Stephsco said...

I love seeing picture posts like this! I also noted cute hair in one of your author panel pics.

I can't wait to go to a big conference, although I'm not sure what to do with myself exactly since I'm an upbublished, non-represented writer. I just want to meet people and be in the action. So far I've only gone to book signing events and one small book fair with some panels in Wisconsin.

Romantic Times Booklovers convention is heading to Chicago next April and I'm a little scared but I think I might go.

Jemi Fraser said...

Awesome!!! Thanks for sharing - one of these days I'll get to a conference! :)

Mart Ramirez said...

Love the pics! How awesome to see your book on the shelf at the conf!!!!Congrats. Thank you so much for sharing.

Tere Kirkland said...

Love how everyone's ALA posts include pics of beignets. :)

It was awesome to see you here in town. Everyone should come back for the Irish Channel St. Paddy's Day Parade (like one day of Mardi Gras with more cabbage flying at your head) and we'll have a ball!

(hugs)

~Tere

Marsha Sigman said...

No, I have not. But I am super jealous over missing this one. Houston is only 8 hours away...

You could have stopped to visit!

I will be one of those debut authors sooner or later and you'll have to hang out with me even if you have a few books out by then.

Jessie Humphries said...

I can only hope to one day have such a great experience.

Kate Hart said...

It was so great to meet you, but I wish I could have attended some of your events. Next time! :)

Jonathon Arntson said...

Thanks for sharing the photos, Elana! They make me smile and yearn for my own Elana-hug.

VR Barkowski said...

After three years, I finally met my CP at a conference in March. We originally met in a UCLA writing class online. That's the Internet, right?

Love New Orleans! Thanks for sharing the fantabulous photos.

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Way, way, way too much fun. O-M-G! I have no words. :-)

Krispy said...

Big conferences are still on my lists of Things-Yet-To-Do, but I've definitely met some bloggers in Real Life. So far, it's been pretty cool. I hang out with one of them pretty frequently now (we discovered we live in the vicinity of one another). I'm about to meet another this Thurs. at the HP midnight screening! :D

Luna said...

So exciting, Elana! Thanks for sharing all these amazing pics. It's fun to get an idea of what it would be like if I was there. One day!

Glad you had such an amazing time. Yay! :)

RaShelle Workman said...

Elana - What fun pics! Looks like you had a turrible, turrible (say it like Charles Barkley) time (totally kidding). I've met a few online friends - LOVED IT!!!

ps: We need to discuss your book ending. I want to scream. Really enjoyed it - really want to yell and throw a temper tantrum (sort of like Marguerite does on EVER AFTER)!!! =D

ali cross said...

Those pictures are AWESOME!!! I love how happy and beautiful you look. And Shannon's BLONDE! I had no idea! Great pics, E. Looks like a fab time all 'round!

Bethany Elizabeth said...

Oh wow - so awesome! I wish I could make it to big book events! Maybe someday. :) Looks like you had a blast!

Angie said...

How fun is that?? I'm glad you had a great time.

Unknown said...

That is so cool, Elana! It looks like so much fun!

Jeff King said...

That's awesome... thx for sharing it with us.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

What a buzz!! Fantastic pics.
I recently went to a conference and met up with a fellow Aussie blogger. That was brilliant to finally meet an online friend.

Jocelyn said...

That looks like such an awesome experience! What a blast. :)


www.writingsnippets.com

Carol Riggs said...

Thanks for sharing your photos! How nice you got to meet so many other writers. I've met a few during SCBWI conferences, but there are a lot of others on the blogosphere that I'd LOVE to meet still! Maybe someday...

Leslie S. Rose said...

What a kick! Looks like you had a blast. Makes me anxious for SCBWI - LA.

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