Up-and-Coming Young Adult Author Panel Recap and Giveaway

Leah Cypess, A.C. Gaughen. Tiffany Schmidt, Victoria Schwab, Courtney C, Stevens

This Monday I was fortunate enough to attend an Up and Coming Young Adult Author Panel at the Brookline Booksmith.The five phenomenal authors they had come in were Victoria Schwab (The Archived, Courtney C. Stevens (Faking Normal), Tiffany Schmidt (Bright Before Sunrise), Leah Cypess (Death Sworn), and A.C. Gaughen (Scarlet). Victoria Schwab had become one of my favorite authors last year when I fell in love with her Archived Series and Courtney C. Stevens made her way onto my radar this past month when I read her debut novel Faking Normal and found it a beautiful and thought provoking read. I was so excited to meet them and I loved talking to the other authors so much too that I have decided to go try their books as well! 

They started off the night letting people in the crowd shout out random numbers and the authors would flip to that page number and read an excerpt from their book to go the audience intrigued. I discovered something about authors during this time. They all have great reading voices. I loved hearing my favorite authors read sections from their books and also was very interested in getting a taste of what the other books were like. The authors then moved in to giving us an overview of their books and told us a little bit about themselves. When the authors were done giving their short blurbs a moderator took over guiding a couple discussions and then allowed the audience to raise their hands and ask questions. 

The questions raised from such things as where do you get your ideas to who is your favorite superhero? My favorite question asked, which I had not heard before, was, which is more important the first or last line of book? The authors had serious debate about this. Some felt it was the first line because that is what people are going to be looking at in a bookstore if they are trying to decided whether or not to but the book. Others thought that it was the last line because that is the last thing a person remembers from the book. They said that a book could be a great read but have a bad ending and most people will immediately remember the bad ending over the quality of the whole book. I was stumped myself as I agreed with both statements. 

After the discussions were over it was time for book signings! I always get nervous when meeting authors because to me they are celebrity's but everytime I discover the same thing. Authors are just regular people! I go up there and I will have a conversation with them as if they were my best friend and it is awesome. I got to meet one on one with Victoria Schwab and Courtney C. Stevens when they signed my books and they were everything I hoped they would be and more! They were even so nice and gave me some extra signed book swag so I could host a giveaway for all of you guys (enter giveaway at the bottom of this post)!

The night was so much fun and insightful! It was definitely a success!

Signed Books and Book Swag!

Giveaway Rules!

 

1. Giveaway is US only

2. Must be 13 years or older to enter

3. Winner must respond within 48 hours or I will choose another winner

4. I am not responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen items



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