Welcome to LA, Baby! Though BEAUTIFUL CREATURES is set in South Carolina, and Kam's family is from North Carolina, we both now call L.A. home.
As many of you know, Kami and I just had the pleasure of catching up with some of LA's finest at Vroman's Massive Temple of Books (that's not really the name) for their blockbuster LAYAPalooza. Pizza, Trivia games, and more than a dozen local writers mingling with readers and bloggers *Hi Khy!* and then a few geeks, well, two, like Kami & me.
Vromans is amazing. They had everything I was looking for, and let's just say I DID NOT COME AWAY EMPTY HANDED! I think you can see the towering stack of books in the archive of Khy's blog.
Which is where you step in, bloggyfriends. I have obtained (through special means involving a credit card that worked on the second try and a dashing cashier) a signed copy of every YA book from the event, and will be giving away two a week, every Monday.
Local author love, local bookstore love. If you are in Southern California, stop by Vromans! You can buy books and then have cake and coffee. At least that's what we did...
The first giveaway: A SIGNED COPY OF ABSOLUTELY MAYBE, by Lisa Yee...
In Lisa Yee's off-beat, emotional adventure, Maybe (short for Maybelline) attempts to discover herself while experimenting with all the quirks of teen evolution: coloring her hair with different packets of sugar free Kool Aid, running away to Los Angeles, and working in a Taco Truck (no true Los Angelino could pass that plot beat up!) The latest Lisa Yee is one of my favorite YA reads of this summer.
You can find out more about LISA YEE here.
You can find out more about how to DYE YOUR HAIR WITH KOOL AID here.
You can find out more about TACO TRUCKS here.
And A SIGNED COPY OF VIDALIA IN PARIS, by Sasha Watson...
In Sasha Watson's debut novel, a lonely artist who cares for her mentally ill mother is suddenly given a scholarship to a prestigious art school in Paris. She doesn't Pray, but she Eats and Loves. Vidalia is a complicated character, and becomes caught in an equally complicated web of intrigue that quickly becomes more than a simple summer adventure. But Paris, as seen through Vidalia's eyes, is the main character here, and compared to what you'd spend on airfare, you can't afford to pass this up.
You can find out more about SASHA WATSON here.
You can find out more about Paris and the ECOLE DES BEAUX-ARTS here.
You can price your ticket to CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT here.
ONE WINNER, TWO BOOKS, BUT HOW?
Leave a comment telling us about a local favorite of your hometown. Whether a bookstore or a taco truck or a pizza joint or a hamburger hotspot, we want to know!
Winners will be announced next Monday, when the next LAYA contest goes up! Now get posting!
I like the bakery in my town. THEY HAVE THE BEST CUPCAKES EVER I AM ADDICTED TO THEM.
It's kind of a problem. Whenever we get a 1/2 dozen I eat them aaaaall.
Posted by: khy | June 29, 2009 at 08:40 PM
A favorite local bookstore that I adore is Read It Again. It is where I bought all my Cirque Du Freak books when I first started getting into reading. I can also find hard-to-find books used there. It's fantastic! And it is super close to my house. I try to go there as often as I can because a Borders moved in right next to it and I want to make sure they stay in business! :)
Posted by: Elise Marsh | June 29, 2009 at 10:12 PM
There aren't any bookstores that I feel ultra comfortable in, sadly. Though the Borders nearest me makes a mean Chai Latte. My favourite place to hang out in Adelaide (AUST) is the Art Gallery, it's like the best place to wander. It's also quite so you can plonk down on a bench and read quite contentedly.
Vromans looks like a dream come true. I loved watching the vid that you and Kami did with the fantabulous Khy.
Posted by: Adele | June 29, 2009 at 10:53 PM
My town doesn't have a good bookstore in it. But I love being at the soccer fields. We have tons of them in my tiny little borough, and they're all little clusters of fields. There are at least 5 and I've played on every field available in the past 8 years.
Posted by: Hillary | June 30, 2009 at 08:18 AM
My favorite place in DC is the Natural History Museum, closely followed by the Pines of Rome. The best white pizza in the country.
Posted by: kami | June 30, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Best taco truck in LA would have to be Don Jorge;s, hands down! Though its no longer in a truck they actually got a little restaurant now, but still the best!
Posted by: Caster Girl 25 | June 30, 2009 at 02:50 PM
There is a great hamburger joint in Porter called Pete's. They have been in the same spot for over 30 years, and they hamburgers are FAB!! Anyone who comes to see us has to have a burger at Pete's!
Posted by: Shelly Burns | July 01, 2009 at 06:33 AM
By the way, both authors have written in to say they are happy one of you will be getting their books, so how cool is that! *respect* Love that local author love!
Posted by: Margie | July 01, 2009 at 08:57 PM
My library's the best, hands down! If I had the time, I'd start in one aisle, and take out one book at a time till I've read them all. But then, when would I write??? Certainly not while procrastinating online. Hee hee.
Posted by: L. A. Reiss | July 02, 2009 at 04:42 AM
My favorite place to hang out here is my library. There isn't much of a bookstore here (just a few shelves in another store), so I go to the library to check out the new releases, which for some reason I usually end up buying rather than just checking out. Maybe it has something to do with the fact I once found a smushed spider between the pages of a library book ;)
Posted by: K. Hager | July 02, 2009 at 09:21 AM
My favorite place in town is the humongous Barnes and Nobles--and this isn't only because I love to read books. Barnes and Nobles just gives off this humble, library-ish vibe, but it has new books instead of ones with stained covers and dog-eared pages (ergh, my pet peeve).
It's also a place--the only place--that my family and I can be quiet (yes, finally). No more screaming and running around, goofing off when work is to be done--at B&N we're totally silent. Amazing.
And plus, who doesn't love the cafe?
Posted by: Michelle Zhang | July 02, 2009 at 09:26 AM
I love that you like your libraries. But I have to tell you my two favorites, one of which I've blogged about before. The Santa Monica Library (chocolate cake, latte, beautiful architecture, free wireless, free offices, and books galore-ay) and the Park City Library, which is in the old high school. They open the windows and the breeze blows over you and you can watch the trees through the windows. And free Starbucks. That you are allowed to drink IN the library. Wahoo!
OH HOW I LOVE LIBRARIES!
Posted by: Margie | July 02, 2009 at 09:26 AM
My favorite place was Charlie's 50's Diner, unfortunately, it just closed. I'm not sure I have another favorite place. I spend a lot of time at Wal-Mart, but I'm not sure I'd call it a favorite spot.
I do enjoy our town Library. It's small with a small budget so they don't get a lot of the new books. Still, it's peaceful and quiet, and the people are friendly (which is more than I can say for the WM). =D
Posted by: Joan Stradling | July 02, 2009 at 01:35 PM
Cafe Dolce in Winchester. Lovely cafe, lovely cappucino. It feels like a secret hide-out, where you could go with a book and not be bothered, or go for a chat with a friend and not be found out.
We also have a wonderful independent bookstore, BookEnds, but sadly, it has no seating!
Posted by: Carole Tedesco | July 02, 2009 at 02:34 PM
Caster Girl 25, where is Don Jorges? Margaret, my nephew from the north shore is living with me for the summer (job here) and he got all excited when I brought up the Rainbow Drive In. Shelly, I will make every attempt to get myself to Pete's pronto! Elise, I also lurve bookstores that shelve used and new books together. Khy, Yummy Cupcakes, next time you are here. It's on! Adele, I want to visit your art gallery on our Australian tour heh and by that i mean someday vacation :) Everyone who loves libraries and anything to do with coffee? YES YES YES. Which leaves Kami and the pizza and she already knows how I feel about that :)
Posted by: Margie | July 03, 2009 at 08:30 AM
My fav hometown place is...actually our little homestead: just 27 acres, but lots of cute chickens, one crazy Farm Dog, and a ginormous garden.
If it has to be away from home, then perhaps our county library, which was rated #2 in the country...woohoo!! http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/
Posted by: TeresaR | July 03, 2009 at 05:48 PM
I love the pizza restaurant in my town, because it has the best pizza I've ever eaten! I've eaten pizza all over the country, and none of them are that good!
I also love my town's library, because the librarians go to BEA... and they brought back an ARC of Beautiful Creatures!
Posted by: Paradox | July 05, 2009 at 09:18 PM
One of my favorite hometown place is our bbq places. I live in Kansas City and KC is known for our BBQ. If you ever come to KC you much go to Gates!!
:)
I love bookstores, but I haven't really seen any local ones that just belong in KC, only Border and Barnes&Noble, but I LOVE hanging out at BN.
Posted by: Bianca | July 07, 2009 at 10:46 AM
I love the library in my hometown! Today, when I travel, no matter where I go, I have to check out the library. (Weird, I know, but there's nothing like a gal on a mission!)
Posted by: Barbara Bell | July 07, 2009 at 09:36 PM