YALC 2018 | The Final Countdown + Plans

This year will be my first year at YALC and I am so excited for many, many reasons. For those who don’t know about YALC (like me last year!), it’s a YA Lit Convention happening in London this weekend! Lots of authors will be attending to talk on panels and sign books, there are lots of stalls giving away review copies and selling bookish merch, and lots of book bloggers will be in attendance too!

4 days to go!

The Authors

One of the main reasons that I can’t wait for YALC is that some of my favourite authors and new to me authors are attending this year. Not only will they be talking on some fantastic panels but they are all doing book signings as well, meaning that I will be able to get my books signed and actually speak to them in person.

The main person that I am absolutely freaking out over meeting is Becky Chambers, author of the Wayfarer series. For those who know me and/or have been around on my blog for a little while, you might know that I am obsessed with her books so actually getting to interact with her will probably kill me… One thing I am a little annoyed about is that my special edition copy of her newest book, Record of a Spaceborn Few, won’t be arriving until after YALC so I won’t be able to get it signed but I can at least get my other two signed!

Another author that I’m absolutely freaking out over as well is Akemi Dawn Bowman, author of Starfish and Summer Bird Blue. I read Starfish earlier this year and absolutely fell in love with it, so it was an even nicer surprise when Akemi turned out to be such an amazing person too. She’s been very interactive with me on twitter and I’ve been able to speak to her over email a few times, and she says that she’s excited to meet me at YALC too so I might definitely die at YALC. RIP me.

Other authors I’m looking forward to meet are Dhonielle Clayton, author of The Belles; Tomi Adeyemi, author of Children of Blood and Bone; Sara Holland, author of Everless; and Sally Nicholls, author of Things a Bright Girl Can Do.

The Panels

Another thing I’m really looking forward to at YALC is all of the excellent panels that are happening. I have the full 3-day ticket so I might not be able to make all the panels I want because it’s super important to take regular breaks at conventions so you don’t get burned out! These are some of the ones I want to go to though:

• Politics on the Page – YA Political Activism
• Amongst the Stars – Science Fiction
• Loud & Proud – LGBTQ
• The Big YALC Quiz
• Bring a Torch its Dark in Here – Dystopian
• Real World, Real Me – Contemporary

Other Stuff

Obviously, there’s also loads of other really cool stuff I’m looking forward to as well!

• I’ll be attending with my 2 best friends who live outside of London so I don’t get to see them super often but they’ll be coming down to London to go to YALC with me which is going to be great! Plus I converted them into Becky Chambers fans as well so we can all die together
• Book bloggers!!! I know a few blogger friends who are going to YALC and I am super excited to meet them! If you are attending as well then let me know and we can meet up
• I believe that the YALC tickets also get you entry into the London Film & Comic Con as well which means we’ll have access to all the things. There’s some amazing celebs attending, such as the cast of Battlestar Galactica but unfortunately the prices for signings and pictures are so pricey that it’s highly doubtful I’ll get to meet them as well but it’s cool we can go to it too
• And of course, all of the great YALC stalls, books and merch! Good job it will be right after payday :’)

See you all there if you’re going this year!

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