Fangirl/boy ALERT! - YA FEST IS COMING!

Two years ago I went to the first YA Fest in Easton PA. I ended up sandwiched between two literal and literary giants - Jonathan Maberry and Charles Benoit.

Laura Campbell, Jonathan Maberry, me, Charles Benoit 2012 YA Fest

Now YA Fest is BACK! I can't tell you how excited I am. Not only is it a great program, it's in my state of Pennsylvania. No need to schlep to NYC or wish I lived closer to Denver/Rochester/Raleigh. I am LOCAL. And this is so freaking awesome.

Last year there were quite a few really interesting panels and a really fun quiz contest at the end of the day. But most importantly, there were authors I adored and could talk to. I will try not to go too fangirl (who am I kidding? no one) but here are the authors I am looking forward to seeing:

Jennifer R Hubbard
I don't read a lot of contemporary YA, but I will read anything Jennifer Hubbard writes. Thank You notes, shopping list, tweets - it's all good when it comes from her brain. Check out her new book, UNTIIL IT HURTS TO STOP.




Aaron Starmer
My good friend Becky Levine introduced me to Aaron Starmer's THE ONLY ONES. So I have her to thank for the mind pretzel I found myself in after reading this extremely different, intelligent and thoughtful middle grade. I still find myself looping through the sequence of events. I made the mistake of lending his new book THE RIVERMAN to my eleven year old niece, and now she has a death grip on it. BUT, now I have an excuse to buy another copy.




Demitria Lunetta
I just started listening to Demitria Lunetta's debut book IN THE AFTER on audiobook. Just so you know, I ran an EXTRA MILE this morning. Do you know what that means? I could ignore the pain for an extra 12.5 minutes just to keep listening to the story.

So, are you in the Philly area? Are you also into crayons? Do you yearn for early spring in the gorgeous countryside? YES? Then I'll see you at YA FEST!