Harper Collins invited me to their first annual YA book blogger event at their offices downtown Tuesday, to premiere their fabulous Fall YA titles! I was so excited! I’d get to meet the fellow Toronto bloggers again and meet new ones too. The invite even said a special guest might appear and I was itching to know who could it be.
The day of the event, I managed to drag my best friend Anna with me so we could go on an impromptu shopping spree at Toronto Eaton Centre. We stopped for lunch at Mr. Green Jean’s and ordered an amazing meal.
I’ve been here a couple of times, yet I haven’t tried their appetizers so I couldn’t help but drool when I saw the Baked Crab Mac n’ Cheese. Oooey gooey cheese with chunks of lobster, and smoked bacon to top it all off.
Then my entree arrived and this is the meal I always order when I go there, Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich with buffalo chips. Crispy, tender and juicy, the sandwich is topped with lettuce, tomato, and a chiptole mayo sauce. Delicious. (NTS: I should make a food blog 
Needless to say I couldn’t even finish my meal! Huge portions and the prices are reasonable.
Needless to say I couldn’t even finish my meal! Huge portions and the prices are reasonable.
We had time to spare, so I wandered over to Dynamite and bought a couple of cute tops. (Did you know there are sales everywhere? ) Anna and I hopped onto the subway and to my surprise, we rode on the new subway cars. Yes I’m a nerd, and I’ve only managed to ride them once before. We headed off to the Indigo on Bay and Bloor and I managed to score the only copy of Timepiece by Myra McIntyre. (I can’t wait to read this one!) Since Anna couldn’t stay with me at the event, I dropped her off at the Cineplex Odeon Theatre and she watched Prometheus. I was off to the Harper Collins offices when I spotted a whole bunch of the bloggers! It was so nice to see everyone and to manage to see people I recognize off of Twitter 
We met Siobhan and managed to squeeze onto the elevators, and head on up to the offices where Shannon greeted us. We grabbed our name tags and started gabbing excitedly about what else books? Vikki started off the presentation where she described what HCC Frenzy is all about. Subscribe to the magazine for FREE by emailing hccfrenzy@harpercollins.com.
Then Jessica introduced herself and talked a little about how HCC Frenzy was started.
Then children’s book editor Hadley talked a bit about her job and her responsibilities. (Who knew how many drafts a book has to go through??!) After that, Vikki, Shannon and Jessica took turns describing each of the Fall YA titles they are most excited about. They include:
Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel
Ten by Gretchen McNeil
Starling by Lesley Livingston
Debutantes by Cora Harrison
After that, Vikki polled to see which people have read Insurgent by Veronica Roth with a show of hands. Surprisingly, only a handful of people haven’t read it, and we each decided which faction we would be in if we lived in a Divergent world. The winning faction wasn’t as divided as I thought and we throughly debated about what title the third book would be.
Then Shannon brought out a box of books with Shatter Me inside making the surprise guest….Tahereh Mafi!
Photo credit: Liz from Midnight Bloom Reads
Thank you hun for taking these photos when my camera died!
Photo credit: Giselle San Miguel
Photo credit: Liz from Midnight Bloom Reads
Thank you hun for taking these photos when my camera died!
Sweetheart as she was to come all the way from the OC, with such a terribly long flight, she was as bubbly and perky in person as she is on Twitter. She introduced herself, and talked a little about DESTROY ME, an e-novella with the viewpoint of bad boy Warner! (oohh I can’t wait!) We went around the room and introduced ourselves and Tahereh remembered most of us from Twitter! Then the signings began and we all pretty much fangirl’d her. She gave us all hugs and is just so down-to-earth and humble. Love her!
Inside the swag bag:
- a copy of HCC Frenzy
- HarperCollins Canada Fall 2012 catalogue
- What’s Up with Jody Barton by Hayley Long Proof
- Signed Lauren Oliver Bookplate
- Divergent Factions tattoos
- Pretty Little Liars lip balm
- An “I’m Part of the Frenzy” button
- An ARC of Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon,
- Signed paperback copy of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Thank you so much to HarperCollins Canada that include Vikki, Shannon, Jessica, and Hadley, HCC Frenzy and Tahereh Mafi for this wonderful event! YOU GUYS ROCK! And a thousand hugs and hellos to the fellow bloggers I met!
The next day, Tahereh tweeted me this?? AHH *runs around* I can’t believe I met her! Best day evaaaa!
Wow, you’re making me drool over here, lol! That lunch looks so delish! and yay for shopping! and to top it off it looks like you had an amazing time at HC! Love that you got to meet Taherah Mafi
I’ve missed seeing her twice in NYC, I’m hoping that the third will be the charm 
Great books too – I am really looking forward to reading Such Wicked Intent!
Thanks for sharing with us!!! Enjoy your new stuffs!!!
Looks like it was a great event!
Sometimes I wish I lived closer to Toronto instead of Kingston. Though sometimes I make it up there for events. 
Sounds like you had a really great day.
This sounds like it was such an awesome event!
Sometimes I really wish I lived near Toronto so I could go to these things. They seem like so much fun! 
Thanks for sharing your recap with us, it’s nice to see what it’s all about!
And that’s so cool that Tehereh tweeted you after! 
Happy Reading!
Ambur
PS. I totally saw Prometheus the other day too!