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Yallwest 2016 recap and Rainbow Rowell keynote

We meet the authors in charge in this first part of our Yallwest 2016 recap, and get to know Fangirl author Rainbow Rowell.  

Yallwest 2016 directors Margaret Stohl (Black Widow: Forever Black) and Melissa de la Cruz (Descendants series) start off the first day of Yallwest by introducing the authors that took part in making Yallwest even more successful than it was last year, and we all benefited from their hard work, not only by bringing in probably more than double the amount of authors this time around, but doing so all the while writing their next books!

The day started off a little late (it’s supposed to start at 9am, but alas, as often happens at big events such as this, the gates were opened slightly later), but the tardiness didn’t discourage anyone who went there hoping to get some awesome book swag or meet their favorite author, which I’m sure many of them go to do.  And every single one of the authors shown in the video below were just as appreciative of us as we were of them.

After the introductions, came the first keynote of the weekend, and Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, Carry On) as the keynote speaker, with Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Curse Workers series, Magisterium series) moderating.  That part of the first video starts at about 13:00, and continues on in the second video.

If you couldn’t hear the names of those on stage, they are, from left to right, Middle-grade programming director Pseudonymous Bosch (Secret series), Brendan Reichs (Virals series), Veronica Roth (Divergent series), chairpersons for this year Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me series) and Marie Lu (The Young Elites series), Ranson Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series), Richelle Mead (The Glittering Court), Jonathan Sanchez (Yallfest co-founder), Alex London (Proxy series), Ally Condie (Atlantia), Kami Garcia (The Lovely Reckless), and Yallwest digital guru Patrick Dolan.

There were plenty of panels and other keynotes throughout both days, as well as author signings and book giveaways at the various booths and sponsors there.  Almost all booths had something that someone wanted, including Nicola Yoon’s The Sun is Also a Star, Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman’s Illuminae sequel, Gemina, Sara Raasch’s third book of the Snow Like Ashes series, Frost Like Night, Kami Garcia’s The Lovely Reckless, Lauren Oliver’s multiple-stories-in-one book Replica, Marissa Meyer’s Heartless, and so much more.

The panels were just as fun and amazing.  Not only was there Rainbow Rowell’s keynote, but other keynotes throughout the weekend, as well as a panel with authors talking about bad writing, a Harry Potter-related one, one about the Women of Marvel, and other events like watching a real-life Quidditch match, creating your own language, and even a sing-along!

All in all, there was something for every young-adult books lover, and if you ever get a chance to go to Yallwest, or Yallfest (which takes place in the November in South Carolina), then we definitely recommend it.  Just don’t forget your screenblock!

Check out our Instagram images of Yallwest 2016 below to see what we mean!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE1dj0sBBnX/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE1dC3NhBl5/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE1dSjqhBms/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE2CUy5hBlM/

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BE31F4aBBjr/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE31NI_hBkE/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE4-TrkBBjd/

You can check out more images and even videos of a few of the authors that were there on our Instagram!

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By Nat, the Geek Girl

Southern California native who likes movies, books (Shadowhunter Chronicles, NA, YA fantasy, Red Rising series), TV shows (The Sandman), and San Diego Comic-Con. I also like to write, but don't get to do much of that aside from on here. I fell into the BTS rabbit hole, and I refuse to leave.