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Sunday, June 3, 2012

BEA 2012 Countdown

Hi, Reader. I'm sorry I've been MIA lately. I flew out to my cousin's graduation from St. Olaf a week ago and then I spent several days agonizing and obsessing over preparations for my trip to New York for BEA. I leave tomorrow.

I am so nervous.

I wish I could say I was elated and eager, restless to be in the air and away to the city. I wish I wish I wish.

It's not that I don't want to go, it's just that I wish I had some sort of traveling companion to keep me company, reassure me that I'm getting on the right train, and make sure I'm generally going to right way at all times. Is that so much to ask?

Okay, I know it is.

I tell myself over and over that a book with no risks, no excitement or uncertainty, is boring. I don't want to live in a boring book. That being said, I wish I could skip ahead to the end of my BEA 2012 chapter, just to see how much fun I had. Wouldn't that be nice?

"Oh, good, it looks like everything turned out okay! Phew. That's a relief! Now I can just go and have fun!"

I have so many things to be excited about this year, too. I'm having a sleepover with some Sirens friends, spending time with some college friends and their adorably fat cat Orca, I'm going to a library reading event featuring Cat Valente with a friend I've known since elementary school, and I'm hoping to attend the Soho party again this year, which was really fun.

I have lots of wonderful people to see, not to mention lots of books to see and possibly take home with me. BEA is such a whirlwind. It's almost intoxicating, being in the big glassed-in Javits Center with so many people who love books as much as I do. I get dizzy just thinking about it.

As a writer spending most of my days alone in Maine and keeping up many of my friendships through the internet, it's incredible to see friends face-to-face again. It's also pretty amazing to see authors/editors I've admired for so long. This year I think I'm finally going to meet Ellen Datlow, for example!

Every year it's so hard to make myself go, and then once I'm there and I've acclimated, it's so hard to leave.

Here's to adventure! I can't wait to tell you all about it when I get home!

And if you're going, be sure to come by and say hello.

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