ala and dc and arc
Posted by in this & that
This is a post of acronyms.
About ALA. Wow. Wow. Wow wow wow. It was amazing. It was a former English teacher’s dream. Famous authors + awesome librarians=heaven. I was only in DC for 26 hours but a lot happened during those hours. (A lot has happened since I returned home, too. The Boys are passing around the throw-up-stomach-flu. My favorite! Stomach flu+potty-training=a special kind of hell.)
But back to ALA.
My first event was the Penguin dinner, where I got to meet authors like Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, and David Levithan. It was wonderful and a bit scary because we all had to give a three minute speech about our books to the 100 people at the dinner. Whew. I am glad that is over. Can you imagine? “I’m going to talk about my book at the same dinner in which Laurie Halse Anderson and John Green and David Levithan are going to talk about their books?”
I got scared again just thinking about it.
But they were also very nice. See pictures below. Please try to ignore how scary-excited I am in the picture with John Green. I’m sorry. I get scary-excited when I meet people I admire (my husband and I both love John Green’s books and have a long-standing “discussion” about which one the other should love most). Also ignore the shine on my face. DC is humid, people. I do not miss that about living back East. I like the weather like I like my Sprite cocktail–dry and crispy.
I am always floored by how generous and kind YA authors are to one another. This was another weekend in which I thought about how amazing this is. Melissa Marr wrote a blurb for Matched and I FINALLY got to meet her and she was wonderful too (and super funny).
The morning after the Penguin dinner, we had YA Coffee Klatch, which was basically speed dating nine tables of librarians, and I wanted to be betrothed immediately to all of them. Then I had a book signing at the Penguin Booth and it was awesome. So fun to meet people and to see them walk away with copies of MATCHED. It was so fun that I left my cell phone there and didn’t realize it until I was trying to call home to tell my husband when he could pick me up at the airport. Awesome! I like to leave an expensive electronic device in every city I visit. It’s my calling card. Next up: my laptop.
My beautiful, fun cousin Andrea came to the book signing (she is the one holding MATCHED in the first picture). Her incredibly nice husband came too and it kind of made the whole ALA for me. To have someone I’ve known and loved for years take that time to come hang out and be there for me was so nice. We got to go to lunch afterwards and it was perfect.
And. I may have left my cell phone in the Penguin booth, but I also accidentally walked away with a copy of MATCHED that Penguin had given me to use during the Coffee Klatch event. (Not only am I flaky, but I am also prone to thievery.) So. Another giveaway, perhaps?
Let’s do it. Just leave a comment. And if you are a follower you get double entries. This will be open until midnight MST next Tuesday, July 6th. I’m going to limit it to the USA…sorry about that. And if you have already won/obtained an ARC or don’t claim it by July 10th I will select a new number. 
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I'm Ally Condie, author of the MATCHED trilogy: MATCHED, a #1 New York Times Bestseller, its sequel, CROSSED, and a third book to be released in November 2012. In my former life, I taught high school English (and I still keep my license current, just in case!). In my current life, I write, read, run, and hang out with my husband and three boys. I post here on Tuesdays (and other days if the mood strikes me) and I'm on twitter (@allycondie).
I went to college with David Levithan. He was a friend of friends. I’m trying to become a YA author too, and I always wonder if it would hurt me more than it would help me if he remembered who I was, because of certain things I did during those college years. (Sigh. If only I could re-do them…)
I would love a copy of Matched.
I was at ALA last week and was able to collect 40 or 50 fabulous ARCs for upcoming YA books. And I was lucky enough to get a copy of Matched. It was the first one I read. Trying to choose which one to start with was so tough, but that cover just kept calling to me. I started it at ALA and had just about finished it by the time by plane touched down in Boston the next day.
I LOVED it, and obviously could barely put it down. I became a follower after reading it, and so don’t want to be greedy. I’m a YA Librarian (Cape Cod) and bring home the ARCs to start sharing with the local teens. I’ve already started talking it up to the kids here and after the holiday weekend when I’ll start passing it around to the kids one by one. It’s going to be huge!!
Best
Hi Ally,
Congrats on your success.
Kelee
Wow maybe someone’s will find the phone and tried to find you!
Also I’m now a follower.
As I read through all of the comments, I realize that I don’t have a flying chance in you-know-where of winning the ARC, but hey, I will give it a shot. (I’m a follower too!)
It is also very weird to see people address you as Ally. I don’t think I can ever know you as anything else but Mrs. Condie.
I am so excited for you and all of the awesome things you have been doing lately! Congrats!
Savannah
Sounds like a fun time. I’d love to get the ARC, too. (I’m a follower, as well.)
I’ve been hearing great things about Matched! But I don’t blame you for going fangirl around those awesome authors. If I met Laurie Halse Anderson…I might die.
After hearing your first page at WIFYR, I want to read this even more!
I’m a follower as well.
I can’t wait to read this! I just saw another 5 star review that was all praise. I’m really looking forward to it. Thanks so much for the giveaway! Congrats and best wishes!!
+1 New follower
5wrights1[at]verizon[dot]net
I’m a big fan of yours and a follower and am dying to read Matched!
Sigh out of over 100 applicants my chances are….slim! But I still would LOVE to get my hands on an ARC to review it!
I’m so glad you had so much fun at ALA! I am like you, I get totally star struck around authors! I want to be one of you someday, and I know how much work you do and how incredibly smart and amazing you all are!
Sounds like a great book! Love the cover too. Thanks for the giveaway.
I’d love to get my hands on this beautiful little book.
Count me in for the drawing.
I would absolutely love to have a copy of Matched!
I would love a copy of Matched! So yeah, I’m in DC and WAY too humid.
Very fun account of your adventure. I got nervous for you thinking about the 3 minute spiel.
Following.
I would love an addition of Matched, well…Who wouldn’t?!
Answer: A crazy person.
I was one of the librarians at that wonderful Penguin dinner. You were great, as were all the other authors who shared the meal with us and spoke. It was such a lovely night!
I got a galley of Matched before the dinner. I have read it, and loved it! I can’t wait till it is officially is released and I can booktalk it to our teens–I am preparing a booktalk now! But…but…but…I am going to ask the question all the people above will start asking when they read it too. When is the next book due to come out? You do leave us hanging there at the end! I don’t think that is too much of a spoiler…
i would LOVE to win Matched!!! can’t wait to read it!!!
Yes please! I am a follower as well.
I would <3 Matched! I am so looking forward to reading it!
I'm a follower!
Thanks!
ebdye1(at)gmail