Catching "Fire" Fever at Book Expo America in NYC
Last week I took a day off from my regular duties as video booktalk host on Bookwink.com to go to the Book Expo in New York City. It was a huge huge huge conference for book people, and when I heard that Scholastic was giving away advance review copies of the sequel to The Hunger Games (a book for ages 12 and up), I knew I had to be there!
Well, I don't know what time people woke up to get tickets for the Suzanne Collins autograph line. I suspect some people camped out at the Javits Center overnight. Sadly, I was not one of them and by the time I arrived at 10 a.m. the ticket booth was deserted with tumbleweeds rolling across the empty floor. So I didn't get an autographed copy of Catching Fire (for ages 12 and up), but I did score a regular copy, which still made me jump up and down with glee!
I was curious to meet the lucky ones who did get a ticket, so I wandered over to the autograph area just before it opened. The line stretched back across the room at least 100 feet!
First in line was David, a 13-year-old from Baltimore, Maryland. I asked David why he is such a Hunger Games fan. He said, "It is a very neat story. The characters are very vivid, and the idea of the games is very fun. No, fun is not the right word. Interesting." Yeah, competing in the Hunger Games isn't my idea of fun either, but definitely interesting to read about!
Jen Cheng who works at Harvard Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts likes The Hunger Games because it is "so action packed and has a kick-butt girl character, not like Bella." Oooh she just dissed Twilight! But it is kind of true. I mean, I love Stephenie Meyer's YA series, but Katniss is one tough girl who could totally survive on her own in any situation, and Bella. . . well . . . couldn't.
Check out some pictures from the event, and get excited!
Click photo thumbnails to see larger
UPDATE: 8/25 Catching Fire will be available for sale on 9/1, but you can take a sneak peak at the first two chapters here.
— Sonja, reporting as The Splot's eyes and ears at Book Expo America
Awwwwwwww! I wish I could've been there! I sooooooooooooooo want an ARC of Catching Fire! Can't wait until the 1st of Sept.!
Comment #1 | Posted by: Bella_Kat on June 07, 2009 at 03:36 PM
Look at all those books!I wish I had a copy, too! Is the author wearing a necklace with the symbol on it? So Cool!
Comment #2 | Posted by: LovePeeta on June 08, 2009 at 03:11 PM
Can't Wait for teh second book to come out!!! *is phycsyed!!!*
Comment #3 | Posted by: narniafreak14 on June 08, 2009 at 04:34 PM
i luv the hunger games! i hav it rite here in fornt of the computer. and ur rite. twilight isn't that good and bella's a squishy jellyfish.
Comment #4 | Posted by: y on June 08, 2009 at 06:21 PM
Does anyone know anything about the Hunger Games Writing Contest? I entered becuase I am dieing for a copy of Catching Fire and I just can't wait until the 1st of Sept.! Probably I'm not going to win, but atleast I tried!
Comment #5 | Posted by: Bella_Kat on June 09, 2009 at 07:16 PM
does anyone know when the contest winners will be announced? the e-mail said they would be mailed on or around june 1st and the winners would be posted on or around june 8th. i wish that was me in one of those huge lines.
Comment #6 | Posted by: hungergirl on June 09, 2009 at 07:37 PM
I love these books. The first one was amazing. I was up all night reading it.
Comment #7 | Posted by: springcello on June 10, 2009 at 12:31 PM
I want to read Catching Fire sooo bad! I can't wait for it to come out!
Comment #8 | Posted by: Sam on June 12, 2009 at 05:00 PM
in my opinnion cinna's the best!
Comment #9 | Posted by: cinna41 on August 05, 2009 at 11:41 AM
I want one so badly I can't wait!!!!
Comment #10 | Posted by: star wars freak on September 11, 2009 at 10:26 AM