So yesterday, in part one of BEA Day 3: Meeting Awesome Authors and Publicists I recapped part of my last day at BEA. I had such a full day on that Friday. I kept meeting authors and members of publishing houses everywhere I went, not only in the exhibit area but on the elevator, at a cafe, on the shuttle bus...They would look at my badge and we would easily strike up a conversation. I loved it!

You're probably wondering about the lost books...keep reading...

I got a trendy swag bag from DK Publishers, who are celebrating 40 years of publishing. They had two large life-sized Star Wars figures made entirely of Lego pieces to showcase their Lego book. I just had to get a picture to show my kids!

Me between DK's Lego Star Wars Figures

Because I love books on wellness, I got a signed copy of The Paleo Primer: A Jump-Start Guide to Losing Body Fat and Living Primally written by London-based health and fitness coaches  Keris Marsden and Matt Whitmore. They both had a British accent (loved that!) and are a striking pair. I'm going to spotlight this book in my wellness series too, since I have heard much about the Paleo diet but want to learn more.

Matt Whitmore, Keris Marsden and Me

I'm always on the lookout for good tween or YA books because I have kids in that age range. I knew I wanted to get this book when I read the synopsis of Megan McCafferty's latest novel Jessica Darling's IT List 2 that says that this is a series that "introduces readers to Jessica Darling, an unabashedly brainy seventh grader who stays true to herself, even if it means being (totally not) cool." How could a mom not like that statement?

Me and Megan McCafferty

You probably know by now that I like to support good indie authors. I came across these three lovely ladies who have all won awards for their books. I caught a picture of them all signing their books at their booth after they finished in the autographing area. K. Baskett has written No Greater Illusion, an adult dystopian novel, whereas Courtney Loquasto has written Year of Little Lesson Plans, a practical book for mom with kids ages 3-8, which I'm gifting to my sister. And Shelia Payton, is the author of What Counts Most is How You Finish, which is filled with essays on living life to the fullest geared towards teens.

K. Baskett, Courtney Loquasto and Shelia Payton

And finally, as I was making my way out of the exhibit I came across Alethia Kontis, dressed in full costume and signing her books in a tiny booth. When I saw that her books were YA novels of fairytale re-tellings I knew I had to get them for my daughter who has watched the first two seasons of Once Upon a Time on Netflix.


Alethia graciously offered me not only her first book Enchanted but also her second book Hero when she noticed I was a book blogger. Her third would be sent by her publisher.

Alethia Kontis with Dearest, third book in the Woodcutter Sisters series

Soooo....those lost books I mentioned in my post title? Once I got home I noticed I couldn't find any of Alethia's books. I searched high and low in all my piles of books and in every corner of my house. It began to dawn on me that I might have misplaced these books when I was packing my suitcase that last day at BEA! Or maybe I left them at the Fed Ex office when I went to ship off the books? Groan! They are nowhere to be found, much to my chagrin and that of my daughter's. So if any of you have found two books dedicated to Calista by Alethia...you know who was the unlucky blogger that left them behind. :-((

So that ends the recap of my last day at BEA. I want to thank all the wonderful people I met and all the publishers who have given away books for me to read!