BEA 2011 Day 3
Wednesday of BEA started bright and early with the Book and Author breakfast featuring Mindy Kaling, Diane Keaton, Jeffrey Eugenides and Charlaine Harris. Do I dare admit that I don’t watch The Office, so I didn’t know who Kaling was? Overall, I found her pretty funny, but will say that some of her humor was lost on me. Diane Keaton was a very different story. She has written Then Again, a memoir about her mother, and her speech was so emotional she had me sobbing. I thought I was going to have to walk out of the room. Even with all the tears, the breakfast was very enjoyable.
From the breakfast, Julie and I went straight to Beth Kephart‘s signing. I missed her at BEA last year and was determined not to do that again this year. It was well worth the wait – Beth is every bit as gracious as you think she is. While I was in the autographing area, I got books autographed by Marisa De Los Santos, Dorothea Benton Frank and Matthew Norman and I’m proud to say I didn’t geek out too much when I met them.
After a quick lunch, I headed over to Penguin with Julie, Dawn, and Candace. Lydia gave us a quick tour of their office and then she and Kate took us to Jacque Torres for frozen hot chocolate. Lydia is adorable and hilarious and so is Kate and I loved seeing Penguin’s offices. The frozen hot chocolate was delicious but a little too rich for me. There was no way I could drink all of it. We headed back to the Javits for a little while before going to our hotel to freshen up before the evening festivities started.
Wednesday night was the night for parties and Julie and I managed to go to two of them. Our first stop was the Mulholland/Orbit party. I was excited to see Michael Koryta again and just thrilled when Megan Abbot sat down with Julie and me to discuss her new book, The End of Everything. From there, we headed to the Harper Collins party where I had the chance to chat with M. L. Malcolm, Talia Carner and Kristine Gasbarre, among others. Talking with authors always makes me really excited about their books!
Everyone was hot and tired at that point, so I joined Dawn, Candace, Julie and Swapna for dinner at Chipotle. The day was exhausting, but so much fun!
It really was a crazy evening for parties — I was so excited to shake the hand of Mark Kurlansky at the Workman Press party.
Sounds wonderful…so nice to hear about the fun first hand.
Wow, another fabulous sounding day. I’m so proud of you for not “geeking out” when you met some of the authors. Dorothea Benton Frank would have had me blithering like an idiot. I’ve read and loved every one of her books except the last one. You really have stored up some wonderful memories.
Such a fun day. I enjoy reliving them through your posts!
What a breakfast! I really want to go next year just to sit through the panels and discussions and all. Fun!
You guys really did the party circuit! I don’t think I would have had the energy!
You’re officially party animals now! I like Diane Keaton in the movies; must read her book. These BEA posts make me jealous. I’m determined to go some year.
The speech by Keaton sounds amazing, as do all your other adventuresome exploits around town! I am interested in the frozen hot chocolate as well and will have to see what that is all about. Great recap post today!
I don’t watch The Office, either. We just might be the only two people in the world who don’t.
Sounds like another fun day!! Glad you got to do so much and meet many people!
What a great post Kathy. I love reading about what went on at BEA and afterwards.
Happy Blogoversary! (you mentioned it over at Diane’s). ;o) Sounds like you had a great time. I so hope to be able to attend the future BEAs.
You superstar! What an event and I can’t believe you made it out without the fainting spells associated to meeting your idols. Ahhhh living it all through you. Thank you for making us part of the excitement and WOW.
Sounds like you had a great time. Several weeks ago I read an arc (LibraryThing Early Reviewers) of Kristine Gasbarre’s book and really enjoyed it. I’m going to watch for the Keaton book.
It sounds as though you had a lovely time…and everyone raves about the frozen hot chocolate at Jacque Torres…but a bite of something that rich goes a really long way…
We are hopping on a train in a few weeks just to spend the night, go to dinner and see a play…we are too close to NYC to not do this more often than we do…we just get lazy…
Sounds like that was an exhausting but fun day!
This day sounds utterly amazing. I love Diane Keaton so I’m sure I would’ve been sobbing right next to you!
i love hearing about all the fun stuff that goes on at BEA and am so glad you got to go and have fun! dinner at chipotle with such a great group of bloggers–i’m jealous! ps.i don’t watch the office either–the boss makes me too nervous. also, we don’t have tv.lol.
I’m tired just reading about all of your good fortune
I love Diane Keaton and will have to read her book. Sounds like you were lucky to hear her speak.
Sounds like another thoroughly enjoyable day at BEA. I’m really enjoying your posts on it. Good for you for not geeking out when meeting the authors. I’m not sure I could have been so calm.
What an awesome panel! I would love to see all of those authors! And you got a book signed by Marisa de los Santos!? Score. I hope she has a third book coming out soon.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I can imagine that it must be exciting to get to meet so many authors in one place.
Three… three people that do not watch the office – you, Jill, and me
I love reading these posts as it reminds me of how exhausted I was running from one thing tot he next but loving it and missing it already!
I had no idea who Mindy Kaling was either, so count me in as a fourth person who doesn’t watch The Office. Sounds like you had a blast at BEA. I so jealous that you got to meet Marisa De Los Santos! I’m looking forward to reading her latest book.
I’m glad to hear that you had a wonderful time! And you got to meet so many wonderful authors, especially Jeffrey Eugenides and Charlaine Harris!! Wow!
I’m glad you had so much fun at BEA. I don’t watch The Office either.