My TBF Experiences

Greetings fellow bookworms,

In light of the the rapidly approaching Teen Book Fest (17 days and counting), I’ve gathered a couple of tips and tricks from both my own experiences at TBF and that of my friends. I know it’s really easy to get caught up in the sheer awesomeness of what is happening all around you (Fav authors! Presentations! BOOKS!) but just making sure to keep in mind a few things can be particularly helpful in making sure your day is just as amazing as a new series by your favorite writer- or at least at close as it can get to that level of euphoria.

1. Plan in advance. Yes, there may be tests and APs but just taking a few minutes to plan can make sure you don’t get hit with any nasty surprises on festival day. The TBF site has both a map and schedule for anyone who wants to look at them so consider taking a couple moments just to figure out which authors you want to see and where you have to go BEFORE you hit the festival grounds.
2. Don’t forget your books. You’d think this would be obvious but I can (shamefully) tell you that I have, indeed, left them before at home. This is one of the worst feelings in the world so make sure you have all the books you want to get signed. Put them in the car, your bookbag, duct tape them to your leg, it doesn’t matter; just make sure you have them at TBF.
3. Bring water and snacks. A tip from someone who’s been to TBF a couple of times before: you will do a lot of walking and chances are, whether you want to go to all the author sessions or not, you won’t have a ton of time to grab any lunch. So bringing some food and a water bottle can likely both save you some time and possibly prevent the very embarrassing scenario of having your stomach grumble right in front of your favorite author.
4. Get there early. Again, maybe this is obvious but I know I’ve showed up late once before and really regretted it. Part of the fun at TBF is seeing the rally in the morning and not to mention showing up late can put you in jeopardy of missing an author’s panel. So don’t make the same mistakes I did- get there on time.
5. Finally, don’t be nervous. I know that when I see a favorite author, my brain tends to kind of blow up right on the spot and I begin to babble all over the place. It’s ok. Calm down. Authors are really, really cool people. Just be yourself and you'll have a much better experience.

So in conclusion, TBF is going to be great, guys. We’re all going to have a lot of fun, meet our favorite authors, and probably bankrupt ourselves buying books. Hopefully, all of these tips are

going to be helpful but remember not to get too caught up in the planning. Just have fun- that’s what TBF is all about.

Happy Reading,

Kate.