BEA Book & Author Breakfasts!

I was able to attend both the Adult and Children’s Book & Author breakfasts offered during the conference – that being said, as Rick Riordan said - the term “breakfast” is used rather loosely considering it consists of a pitcher of OJ and pot of coffee and one bowl of bagels and muffins to be divvied up amongst 10 people per table – and that’s just the people who had tables – there was also chairs set up in rows in the back in order to open the session up to more people (who can, coincidentally just bring their own bagel and coffee or juice and enjoy it just the same) – but the “breakfast” aside, because really, who is going to be able to focus on food at an event that is chock full of awesome authors including Mary Pope Osborne, Veronica Roth, Wally Lamb, Octavia Spencer and Chelsea Handler anyway right! 

The event started out with the Emcee’s giving a brief welcome note (or in Chelsea Handler’s case, a comedy sketch) which was chock full of awesome and sang the praises of the authors and their works (both past published and pre-pub titles), and was followed by 3 authors (how they picked these authors out is beyond me because EVERYONE was amazing). Then each author came up and gave a talk about their background, writing process, the whole experience of being such  well-known and respected authors, and in some cases, they mentioned the their latest book. 

Veronica Roth gave an outstanding speech about how humility is freedom when it comes to writing. And Wally Lamb stated that us (librarians, booksellers, bloggers) are the electricity connecting the reader and the author to one another.  

 Heartfelt stuff you guys! 

Definitely worth the extra cost if you are able to swing it!