Wednesday, June 1, 2011

New Cover + BEA Book Signing



I know I've already shown the new Daughter cover through the BEA banner and shots of the book itself, but I haven't yet posted a good clear image of the final version. Here it is! So cool!

And I wanted to quickly wrap up my last day at BEA, which included my first signing of Daughter of Smoke and Bone!




Signing books is a thrill that will never grow old, and Little, Brown made this signing totally cool by crafting -- by hand -- 200 of these cool silk bookmarks as placeholders in the line!






They came attached to the paper bookmark, above; and when you take them off, reveal a strip of dark blue silk with a hamsa charm on one end (symbol of warding against the evil eye), and a wishbone on the other. Both are important symbols from the book, and I love imagining that people are reading the ARCs right now with these bookmarks in hand! (Anyone? Anyone?)




So, walking through the convention center that morning on my way to the signing, the same thing happened as happened two years ago when I was going to be signing Lips Touch. I had forgotten this, until the instant of mortification recurred. It was this: I had seen the previous day which way the line wrapped around from the Little, Brown booth while Daniel Handler was signing. And so as I walked up the aisle, I looked anxiously for a line ... and saw -- ulp! -- nobody.

*crickets chirping*

I don't know if Andrew (can you guess which one below is Andrew? :-) saw my expression freeze, but he quickly pointed the other way, and my heart resumed beating. Because halleluja there was a line. (As indeed there had been last time, with Lips Touch, double phew!)


Amazing L,B folks: Tina, Lisa, Melanie, Alvina, Andrew, Stephanie

Here are the lovely lovely folks in the front of the line. Thank you lovely folks for coming!!!




Because I am a gigantic dork, I actually videotaped the line too, but I will not inflict that terrible piece of cinematography on you. BEA is dang busy, and trying to walk a straight line with a flip cam in hand is not so easy! Below, the general direction of the line, with reader-traffic. Do not get trampled.




Hello book stack. I love you.







Sigh. That was so fun.

Aaand ... the rest of the day was just milling, trying to nab ARCs, and socializing! Here are wunder-editor Julie Strauss-Gabel of Dutton, who publishes, among others: John Green, my friend Stephanie Perkins, and below, Ally Condie. Ally was promoting Crossed, the sequel to Matched -- of which YES, I did acquire an ARC!




And here, Lisa McMann, author of Wake, of which my copy is inscribed, Yes, I really did write it in seven days. (But she took longer to rewrite it.) Lisa's new middle grade is The Unwanteds. ARC acquired.




And below, my two favorite New York writers, Sarah Beth Durst and Marie Rutkoski. Sarah I've known since our first books were about to come out in 2007. Her newest is Drink Slay Love, which sounds entirely awesome, and involves vampires and a were-unicorn. (ARC NOT obtained! *gimme gimme gimme*)

I met Marie online when her first novel, the wonderful wonderful middle grade fantasy The Cabinet of Wonders came out, and then in person at BEA two years ago. The third in the series is forthcoming in fall, and I can't WAIT to read it.




We all have two-year-olds (ish), and we all started out writing middle grade and have since moved into YA (what's up with that?), and we had so much fun hatching a big scheme that I very much hope will actually happen. I think it will. (Shhh. It's a secret.)

And then, what remained to do but eat pizza? My farewell-to-New York meal, at John's Pizza on Bleeker. So good so good.






Bye bye New York, see you next time!

22 comments:

Q said...

Envy envy envy envy envy. Why do you have to be so cool?

storyqueen said...

I have loved all of your BEA posts. And how could you think your line wouldn't be there???

*wishing I was there to nab an arc!*

Shelley

Mindy said...

I am confused! I thought all your books were YA, but now your saying that you started writing middle grade?

Wendell said...

Would you mind dishing about your stripey dress?

Laini Taylor said...

Q, ha ha! I'm a huge dork!

Shelley, thank you :-)

Mindy, the Dreamdark books are middle grade -- primary target audience being 8-12, though they are *sophisticated* middle grade and cross over well to teens and adults. Lips Touch and Daughter are YA.

Wendell, I got the dress at a great store in Portland called Frock! It was not expensive. I considered doing a post about shopping for BEA outfits, partly because it was so funny trying to do so with Clementine in tow, but did not. Maybe I'll post about Frock some time. They never disappoint.

Alix said...

So fun! And I wish i could say I was reading an ARC with the ultra cool bookmark!

Q said...

Hey, in my mind, a certain level of dorkiness is a badge of HONOR.

Anonymous said...

You went to my neck of the woods!!!! That makes me so happy.

Natalie Zaman said...

OK, like there WOULDN'T be a line! I'm so bummed that I missed the signing (as a matter of fact, I might've missed it by an hour which just made it worse)--BUT--I got a copy of DOSM--and Oh my oh my is it awesome! Next time I'm having a plan for BEA... >:)

Rhiannon said...

Now I'm just a little bit sad. My BEA was all things DOSB, but I caught an ARC first thing in the morning Wednesday so I thought I should not do the signing (both my dreamdark books were bought signed by you and jim) so that someone else who hasn't met you would have the chance. But rats!! The bookmark is soo cool! Now I'm jealous!
The Dress was fab by the way, saw you walking around in it and was totally admiring it.

Kristin Rae said...

Looks like you had a fab time!

Laini Taylor said...

Q, I totally agree!

Macdougal, are you in NYC?

Natalie, I'm so having a BEA plan next time too. I only got some 10 ARCs. Sad, sad. And I barely heard anyone speak. Next time!

Rhiannon, sorry! It was so cool to meet you though :-) Hopefully there will be future fun paraphernalia! And thanks about the dress! I'm loving it. Dresses. So easy. Who knew?

Kristin, yes, fab!!!

Anbolyn said...

Such lucky, lucky people! I read Lips Touch a few months ago and was blown away by its awesomeness. I am trying to thrust it into as many hands as possible this summer at my library.
I can't wait for Daughter!
Thank you for writing such lovely books!

persnickety_jen said...

First: I LOVE the new cover.

Second: I'm totally envious of the people who picked up the blue silk bookmark. Seriously. Your publishers always make such cool giveaways - like the Rathersting tattoos for SILKSINGER. :) I hope you were able to keep one for your own collection!

Sarah said...

The new cover is awesome. I think I love it more than the original cover!

Also, majorly looking forward to ALA and the beautiful ARCs. I will be the librarian fighting to get a copy of your book. ;) But, nicely, of course!

Kristen said...

I was so happy you were signing at BEA and thrilled to see so many people showed up. This was the book I couldn't wait for so I got there early (I was second in line). I've already read it and I loved it!

Oh and I love my bookmark too! :)

Laini Taylor said...

Hi Anbolyn! Thank you so much for pushing Lips Touch. Librarians rock!

Jen, hopefully I'll get to meet you at some event one of these days! And yes, I am totally collecting the "artifcats." :-)

Sarah, so glad you liked the cover. And I'll see you at ALA!

Kristen, I was thrilled so many people showed up too! Is that you in the picture, second in line? *waves at picture* Hello!

Marie Rutkoski said...

Lovely to see you, Laini!

Kristen said...

Yes, that is me in the picture, second in line! I was so excited to go to the signing and read the book. :)

Jennie Bailey said...

That pizza looks delish!! And I love love love your striped dress! Can't wait to get Daughter of Smoke & Bone!

Kate said...

Aw, man! I wish I had copy from the book stack! Can't wait for your book to be available for all of us regular readers!

Elizabeth said...

after reading this, i went out and got "Matched" out of the library and liked it quite a lot. Tell us if "Crossed" is just as good!

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