Jennifer Enjoyed #BookCon 2018

BookCon 2018

 

To say the least, BookCon is overwhelming. There really needs to be a BookCon for Dummies book., You can download the BookCon app, but if this is your first time, it is pretty difficult to navigate. I am more an ebook person, but if you sign a book for me, I will treasure it always. As soon as we got to BookCon, we high tailed it to the longest line at BookCon, the bathroom. I noticed that there was a small line near the bathroom, so I swapped out with my friend and she held my bathroom place, while I scooted over to see what was going on. They were promoting a book and we about to give it away in ten minutes, just enter your email and they will let us know shortly who won. Below is a photo of D.A. Field With his book Blood Memory Society.  You can find it available here on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Memory-Society-D-Field/dp/0999051407/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528145004&sr=8-1&keywords=blood+memory+society

I made it back to the bathroom line and Cynthia went to check out the book. One of the things that you should know about Book Con is there are lines, lots and lots of lines. If you get in a line, you may want to ask someone what the line is for before you end up in a line for a stress test for Scientology, yup, I am not kidding. I failed to take photos of that, but they were there doing stress tests. There are vendors to purchase gifts, books, etc. within the center, there is food available at stadium mark-up prices just in the lobby of the Javitz center and then there are Street Vendors selling Halal, hot dogs, smoothies, etc. or as we NYers call it “street meat” . I am a HUGE fan of “Street Meat” as it is yummy and super quick! Rafiqui’s is my favorite, but you won’t find that during the weekends. I wish I had known that I could bring my own snacks ahead of time. I do try to eat small things of protein every few hours, but was so into standing in lines all day, I didn’t get my protein fill. I attended #thebookcon with two of my friends, but they signed up for signings and were busy getting photos with authors as well as getting autographs, so I was left to my own exploration for over an hour. You leave a book lover in a place alone with books…ooh the possibilities. I managed to score about 14 free books. Some I got for my daughter, some I got for my son and the highlight was Orson Scott Card, I saw the sign, but I saw lots of signs for books. Now let me tell you about Orson Scott Card and my love for him. I was about ten years old, home with my older siblings to watch me and it was summer, I had nothing to read and my brother was outside playing with his friends. I trespassed into his room and raided his book shelf. He had endless books, but I stumbled upon a bunch of books by this one author, so I have to assume that they have to be good, otherwise why would my brother have a bunch by him. I was ten, a reader of Ann M. Martin and her Baby-sitter’s Club series, Francine Pascal and her Sweet Valley Twins series and here and there was some Christopher Pike and a few of R.L. Stine on my bookcases. I managed to smuggle the books out of my brother’s room and secure them into my room in a secret spot. I then proceeded to figure out which of these books were the first in what you all would call the “ENDER’s GAME” series. I read one after the other in an endless binge of books. My mother had to hide my book so I would sleep that summer until I completed all the books my brother had in his collection. I was now hooked on Orson Scott Card and a brand-new genre of books. Fast forward a few years (HAHAH) and my friend Cynthia mentioned that Ender’s Game is coming out in theatres soon.  At this point, I took it upon myself to re-read the entire series before the movie game out, as Ender’s Game was my favorite.  Now, here we are just a few years later at Book Con and finding a place for Cynthia’s husband to charge his phone and we notice the poster for Orson Scott Card’s new book that is Christmas related and I take a photo, so I can make sure to add it to my Goodreads to read list. Cynthia sees a line and insists we jump on it, I shrug and am like OK. I look over and I see a man who looks familiar. Unfortunately, I have this thing where I always remember faces, but cannot always remember a name or where I know them from. I am really getting upset about this one, is he my uncle, family friend? Hmmm…I am totally perplexed. As we get closer in line, I realize, the man I recognized is signing Orson Scott Card’s new book..OMG! No wonder I recognized the face, it has only been on the back of the countless books that I had read as a child. Here is a photo of me fangirling with OSC, as I like to refer to him. So, yes BookCon was filled with free books and meeting interesting people and authors, my main highlight was meeting OSC. Not only did I get a signed copy of his new book, but I got to hug and take a photo with him! See the photo below

Here he is signing my book. You can go here to Pre-order his book https://www.amazon.com/Town-Divided-Christmas-Orson-Scott-ebook/dp/B07CZSF4XG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528145366&sr=1-1&keywords=orson+scott+card+a+town+divided+by+christmas It will drop on November 6, 2018.

                This is Cynthia patiently waiting for him to sign her book

And here is Cynthia with Orson Scott Card

Another awesome thing that I discovered at BookCon was a company started by a 14-year-old boy called Beacon Book Box. This is a book subscription program that includes a book, and various items that are associated with the monthly theme. If you act soon, the June book box has two books in it. We will be partnering with them soon, but in the meantime, feel free to check them out at https://www.beaconbookbox.com/ . See the photo below of the boxes that they featured at #thebookcon

As you can see there is a variety of things in each box

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Roblox made a large presence at the event

I found Walldo and had my photo taken with him to prove it.

Reese Was not at the event, but you can pre-order her book that drops September 18, 2018 here https://www.amazon.com/Whiskey-Teacup-Growing-Taught-Biscuits/dp/1501166271/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528145842&sr=1-1&keywords=reese+witherspoon+book

You can see below that people were promoting books with costumes, see below. You can find that book here on Amazoncom. https://www.amazon.com/Delusion-All-Have-Our-Demons/dp/1496422376/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528146055&sr=1-1&keywords=the+delusion+laura+gallier

We got to meet Melissa Keil and she signed her new book, The Secret Science of Magic that dropped April 1, 2018. You can purchase your own copy at https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Science-Magic-Melissa-Keil/dp/1682630145/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528146164&sr=1-1&keywords=the+secret+of+science+and+magic

 

Below is Cynthia getting her copy personalized for her 11 year old daughter, Maya.

In the background, there is a book that I know will appeal to my 8 year old, The Bookshop Girl by Sylvia Bishop. You can find it here : https://www.amazon.com/Bookshop-Girl-Sylvia-Bishop-ebook/dp/B06XG8K7W6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528149344&sr=1-1&keywords=the+bookshop+girl

Don’t forget that comic books are books, as you can see, Wonder Woman and the Joker were there in full costumes!

I really Enjoyed the Book Thief and while I was standing in line, I saw this poster for this new book, so it is super exciting that there will be a new book by Markus Zusak. This book drops on October 9, 2018, you can pre-order your copy here https://www.amazon.com/Low-Price-With-Free-Shipping/bbp?ref_=bbp_bb_757550_in_ilm_w_en_US&category=%2F&ingressAsins=B00U65FBJ4&pf_rd_p=1c92fae8-0282-4e0d-a8c8-c7cf4d758bc1&pf_rd_s=detail-ilm&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0375845593&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=RNW8TAY5QEP1F7ST2W3C&pf_rd_r=RNW8TAY5QEP1F7ST2W3C&pf_rd_p=1c92fae8-0282-4e0d-a8c8-c7cf4d758bc1

 

This is another book that really drew my attention, it is about the shootings in Parkland, Florida. It drops on June 19,2018. Make sure you go here and get your copy: https://www.amazon.com/NeverAgain-New-Generation-Draws-Line/dp/198480183X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528146908&sr=8-1&keywords=a+new+generation+draws+the+line

This book was on the same shelf, so it drew me in, as it was on a wall with the other two books, so third one is the charm. You can find it here, https://www.amazon.com/Absolutely-Remarkable-Thing-Novel-ebook/dp/B0796DR2XV/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528148547&sr=1-1&keywords=an+absolutely+remarkable+thing+signed

Viola Davis came out with a Corduroy book called Corduroy Takes a Bow, this drops September 4, 2018. You can pre-order it here https://www.amazon.com/Corduroy-Takes-Bow-Viola-Davis/dp/0425291472/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528148653&sr=1-1&keywords=corduroy+takes+a+bow

Below, you will see Shannon and Dean Hale signing their book, The Princess in Black.

The Handmaids were all dressed up to take photos with people, as you can see below. You can purchase this book on Amazon.com here : https://www.amazon.com/Handmaids-Tale-Margaret-Atwood-ebook/dp/B003JFJHTS/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528149651&sr=1-2&keywords=handmaids+tale

Below is Sherry Maysonave signing her book The Girl Who Could Read Hearts. You can buy your copy here : https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Who-Could-Read-Hearts-ebook/dp/B0768Q9D9T/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528150011&sr=8-1&keywords=the+girl+who+could+read+hearts

James Patterson and Bill Clinton were at BookCon on Sunday promoting his book, The President is Missing, which came out on Monday, June 4, 2018. You can purchase your copy here : https://www.amazon.com/President-Missing-Novel-James-Patterson-ebook/dp/B072F3MYRH/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1528150227&sr=1-1&keywords=the+president+is+missing+james+patterson%2F+bill+clinton

Jim Westcott wrote a book called Jack’s Tales and this book interested me, as it is for boys who are reluctant readers. He signed a copy for my son. He was extremely nice and excited to be there to talk about his new book.

 

Shelley Shepard Gray was there promoting her new book in the BridgeportSocial Club Series, Take a Chance. Cynthia and I managed to score signed copies as well as a photo with the author.This drops on September 18, 2018. You can pre-order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Take-Chance-Bridgeport-Social-Club-ebook/dp/B07BS53X75/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528150496&sr=8-1&keywords=take+a+chance%2C+gray

Here we all are posing for a photo in the Blackstone Publishing area. They had amazing tables where you could charge your phone or just sit after all the walking around.

George R.R. Martin was not there signing books, but they were promoting his new book Fire & Blood that drops November 20,2018. They were giving out free illustrations of a dragon from the book. You can pre-order your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Blood-Thrones-Targaryen-History-ebook/dp/B07C6TBTV3/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528150859&sr=8-1&keywords=fire+%26+Blood

Below is one of the spinning wheels that you could spin and win something. I won a Romance novel, as you can see.

Various book publishing companies were selling books, here are a few that I saw.

Tim Tebow was not there promoting his book, but his Cardboard cut-out was and we made good use of it, here is Will posing with him.

 

The Diary of a Wimpy kid was there promoting his new book, you could take a photo with him, I opted to just take a photo OF him.

Libby was there representing their new APP. They are replacing the Overdrive APP in the near future.

Book Club was there representing their new movie. They had props that you could take a picture with, but there were no stars there representing the movie.

There was an Etsy company there selling phone covers based on books.

After this, we had reached our point where we were starving, lines were all closed and everyone was packing up for the day, so we ventured out for our very first Poke burrito. It was basically, a giant Sushi sandwich packed full of flavor. I honestly have not been able to think of anything else since I had this. It simply was AMAZING!

This last photo was taken as the Sun set over New Jersey on our way home. The perfect end for a perfect day!