RARE Paris:
In the picture above are all the books I brought with me to RARE, they are now all signed, and I love to have them on my shelves now. I only got one extra book to take back home from RARE with me – Hidden by Rebecca Zanetti.
As I said before we left for Paris, Denise, Brandee and I all volunteered during the signing. This meant that we got an Early Entry pass, and had time to meet and chat with the authors we wanted to see before the General Admission ticket holders entered the room. That happened a little earlier than planned, though, because of a miscommunication, but we still got to see every author we wanted to see.
Our jobs were line ambassadors – this means that we helped people who were in line, made sure they had post-it notes with their name on the page they wanted signed, and we chatted and had fun with people while they were waiting to meet their unicorn authors. I worked for Ilona and Gordon Andrews, and it was awesome! I was at the front of the line, also taking pictures of the readers with Ilona and Gordon once they had finished signing books. I love them even more now – they were so nice, calm, and chatty! Every single reader that came to their line had a really good time, and got to spend a couple of minutes with the authors before moving to another line with other books. For some of the French readers, I also helped with translating what they wanted to say to Ilona and Gordon – but most of them didn’t need me at all, it was just their nerves talking.
As you can see, I was pretty happy to get my own books signed, as well as a picture with them as well.
RARE Paris – the authors I met:
As I said above, I was able to meet all the authors I wanted to meet, and I got all my books signed. RARE was very well organized, and all the readers I chatted with were very happy. Here are some pictures of me with the authors as I got my books signed:
RARE Paris – the readers I met :
I always love meeting readers when I go to book signings! Some people I may have chatted with on Facebook, or through blog comments, and others are new friends thanks to events. And I was so happy to meet some readers with whom I’m in an online bookclub!
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Wow! This sounds like a great event! I’m quite jealous lol! Thanks for sharing it with us ?
It was really good, Flora! It’s the fourth RARE event I went to, and I just find these to be better and better 🙂 I hope you’ll be able to attend one, too!
Me too – one day ?
I’ll keep my fingers crossed 🙂
And, a good time was had by all. 🙂 I enjoyed seeing your pics and reading who you met. So cool!
A good time was most definitely had by all, Sophia 🙂
It sounds like you had such a blast! And OMG Ilona & Gordon!! How lucky! I’m glad you had such a good time.
It was awesome, Nick! And for the first time, I actually managed to have a coherent conversation with Ilona & Gordon 😀 I was mighty proud of myself 😉
Looks like fun was had by all! I love that you got to meet some of your bookclub friends too. (And, are those books on your skirt? A+ for that)
It was great meeting up with some of my bookclub friends – especially because it was the first time we met in real life! And yes, those are books on my skirt 🙂 *curtsies*
Twitter: Northwomn
What a great post! I love seeing all the authors and your RARE highlights and comments. I’d love to go to RARE London this year but it falls during the school year so unlikely. Someday.
Why, thank you, Anne! Next year, there’s a two-day RARE in Edinburgh (June 27th, I think) I can add you to the Facebook Group if you like 🙂 I have my ticket for London, but I might not be able to make it after all – I need to check with my supervisor next week, as it appears I’ve been scheduled to go on a week long trip with students 🙂
Twitter: Mollykatie112
Such a great time. When it’s over are the authors still around to chat with or have a meal with? I remember you ate with several one year? So many authors I’ve been meaning to try and a few I haven’t heard of. I’ll have to make an effort. Or a better one.
We did meet some of the authors at breakfast before RARE, but we didn’t really have a lot of time. And some authors were around after, too, but we were pretty exhausted!
It was at another convention that we had lunch with KA Tucker, Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher after everything was over. That was really nice – but for obvious reasons, we didn’t take any pictures…
I think RARE is one of the best ways for me to find new to me authors.
That’s awesome! Devney Perry’s story really are emotional and so so good! Ahhh JLA! And I need to read something by Ilona Andrews asap!
Genesis @ Whispering Chapters
I agree, Genesis! And I actually discovered her thanks to RARE. Brandee, Denise and I were trying to read as many RARE authors as possible before the convention. I got a little obsessed with Devney Perry’s stories, and have now read ALL her published books 😀
Sounds like you had a fantastic time! I love that JLA remembered how to spell your name. She remembered my necklace the last time I saw her—she must have a brain of steel!! 🙂
JLA is awesome! She’s so very friendly, and like you said – must have a brain of steel…
You are so good at taking pics! I never remember when I get caught up in all the excitement! Plus I’m bad at it! LOL Looks like you guys had a great time!
Thanks Tanya 🙂 I try to make sure I get pics – but there are some of my reader friends I forgot to take a picture with – thinking I’d see them again.
Such great photos! I’m so glad you had such a good time. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jen! It was so much fun!
Great pictures!! It sounds like you had a blast 🙂 I’m glad you got to meet all the authors that you wanted to 🙂
We really did. And of course, we were happy we were able to meet all the authors we wanted to meet, too.
What a fantastic time! Love seeing all the pics and all the authors and bloggers you were able to meet. Isn’t it lovely when an author remembers you? Jennifer Armentrout always remembers me and asks about my husband if he’s not around. She is so kind and genuine!
It is awesome when an author remembers me – I have no idea how they do it – they must meet thousands and thousands of people every year! JLA is so friendly, and, like you said, definitely genuine.
I just saw this post and with the news of the burning of the Notre Dam I can’t help hoping you got a chance to see it before you left. It is such an iconic building (even for a Jewish girl like myself), and such a tragedy.
Davida, we did see Notre Dame before we left… I didn’t have any pictures, though, they are all on Denise’s phone. And I didn’t go inside, but I think Denise and Brandee went the next day after I went back home.
Thank goodness the structure is still standing! I was crying last night seeing the devastation – and I’m not even religious.
I hear you… I’m crying now! I’ve been inside a couple of times over the years, even though I’m not really “into” churches. But this one… well, iconic is the only word that comes to mind. I hear that most of the windows weren’t damaged, and that is heartening (I do appreciate a good stained-glass window). More importantly, only one injury of a fire fighter – we should be thankful for that.
I’ve been inside a couple of times, too, and outside many times. And you’re right, this cathedral is iconic, especially because of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, it became more than just a place of worship… We should definitely be thankful that no lives were lost, even if it’s still very sad to see history disappear before our eyes.
Wow you brought a lot of books to Rare! It’s so awesome that you were able to get your books sighed, meet and talk with the authors and work as ambassadors! I love the pictures!
This sounds like the perfect for you, especially as you love to read romance so much! And yay for being able to volunteer and help out as well as get to meet and have books signed by so many authors ^.^