Last Week - And Then There Were Books

Wednesday was the first day I had to be somewhere at a specific time.  The YARWA chapter had some YA things planned so we gathered and paneled and chatted about things YA.  I also had the chance to go up and introduce myself to Katie McGarry as her stalker.  (Yes, I do this. Later I tried to convince her to just give me a whole box of books and let me be her DC area book evangelist. She was not convinced this was the best method of distribution.)  Margie Lawson was there, and because she knows her audience she used some great examples from Katie McGarry's Pushing the Limits and Romily Bernard's Find Me.  (I am now the lucky winner of one of the signed ARC's Romily kindly provided.  I might have hugged it and carried it home on the plane with me.) 
And after that, was the Literacy signing.  I opted for picture taking and chatting rather than book buying, only because I already had a bag full of books and the conference had not even started.  Some of the authors actually had books that were not otherwise out yet, so in addition to getting them signed and helping raise money for literacy, there were not even out yet books.  (I know.  I think this demonstrates restraint and we shall all keep this in mind when I speak of the box of books I shipped home, or the other book I bought after reading up on the Rita nominees.) 
So - some authors I snuck up on and photographed include:
Jude Devereaux.  Later Dorien Kelly would tell the story of being introduced to romance novels through the gateway book that was Knight in Shining Armor.  I might have shared that book with quite a few friends in high school and some sighs and squees. 

Two Kaye's for the price of one!  Laura Kaye and Robin Kaye.  (I told Robin Kaye I was her stalker too, even though we've met before.  I really think that proves my point.) 

Maureen McGowan with a stack of books. (For now.)

Rita finalist Tracy Brogan.

Ally Carter. (See how restrained I was there. It happens.)

Sarra Cannon. I have some more of her stuff to read too.

And Huntley Fitzpatrick with her new book.

At a later event, I captured Sherry Thomas signing her upcoming YA book.

And here's Emily McKay signing now Rita winning The Farm.