Ohana Talks: YALLFest 2014, The Penguin March/ Blogger Meet Up

Hey Y'all!

   It has taken me forever to actually write down all the events that happened at YALLFest 2014, but never the less I finally have them written down for you! I will have two YALLFest posts, one for Friday and one for Saturday. Then I will have one for the Compulsion Tour! I will link them all up at the bottom of the posts when they are all published. 

The Penguin March,

   When I started planning for YALLFest I never really understood why they called it the Penguin March until the first signing, we were constantly walking to each of the signings. James Dashner's line went on forever, and we were there thirty minutes before the signing even started. We waited in line for an hour and thirty minutes. This was the longest we waited throughout all of YALLFest. 

The far orange and black balloons were where James Dasher was signing, the close orange and black ones were for
the Michelle Hodkin's signing. 

But of course, no line is too long for a booknerdigan.

James Dashner signing my little sisters book.

James Dashner and my middle sister.

 

   That was was actually not the first time we saw James on the trip, he was my second author to ever see in person so the first time I saw him I froze up and was a complete fool. We went to Blue Bicycle Books the morning of the march, my sister was inside buying a last minute book and my mom, aunt and I were outside and my mom was about to take a photo of us. Being right in the heart of YALLFest I was on high alert trying to make sure I didn't miss an author walking by me. So mid-pose of a picture my mom was about to take I spotted James walking by, I turned into a deer in the headlights and after a second or two I bolted into the store to tell my sister. When he did walk in, my sister and I didn't know what to do. So awkwardly she said hi, he said hi back and that was all. It may have been a simple hello, but really just being at a a huge book convention was amazing and so very overwhelming that that simple gesture already had made my day.

 Up next was our meet up with Kiera Cass! But Kiera being so fabulous and all, her line was long too. So my aunt waited in her line while we snook off to meet Kathy and Brendan Reichs.

Kathy and Brendan Reichs

   We made our own T-Shirts to get authors who we didn't have books for to sign. So that we'd be able to get as many signatures as possible. 

   Finally after the long wait, my sister was able to meet her hero. 

   Kiera was one of the loveliest people I have ever met, seriously maybe in my entire life. I've come to realize later that all the authors ask'd this at one point in the signing, but after she signed our books Kiera asked us where we were from. Of course we told her Canada, she started to freak out and ask why we came so far. Well she was Lauren's favourite author of all time and her hero, so once again we told her. She started to tear up and ran around the table to hug us. She was so touched that we came all this way to see her. 

   After meeting Kiera, I waited outside of the tent and Lauren went and visited Scott Westerfield. Eventually the Penguin March official time ended, and Kiera Cass came out of the tent and asked everyone if they'd be cut off from her line. Then multiple people put their hands up, so Kiera immediately went and signed everyones books. She was incredible. After what she did there for the people who were cut out of her line, I officially adored her.

Me and Kiera Cass

  That concluded the Penguin March!

Blogger Meet Up,

   For my Friday night I hung out with a bunch of amazing bloggers from all over the US. We spent the evening just plain hanging out and discussing everything, including books. I'm so glad I met all those lovely ladies and I'm happy to have made some new friends!

Some of the lovely ladies I've met from the blogger met up are: Maggie, Joli, Regina, Lindsay, Heather, Lisa, Kristalyn, and Tiffani. ( Sorry if I forgot to list some of you!)

   And that concludes The Penguin March and Blogger Meet Up parts of YALLFest!