Heartbeat Weekly (50): I met Karen Marie Moning!!! (+ giveaway!)

Posted by Jessi (Geo) on January 25, 2015 | 16 Comments


hbweekly

 

What I got this week

kmm signed book haul

immortal highlander signed

From the KMM signing:

Immortal Highlander is the only one that’s personalized (because it’s my favorite!), and Phil Gigante (Karen’s audio narrator) signed it, too!

I also got adorable Mini Pops of Elsa and Anna! I saw them when I was buying my copy of Burned and couldn’t resist :D

From the publisher:

THANK YOU St. Martin’s Press!! The good news is, since I already won a signed pre-order, BOTH of these gorgeous hardcovers will go to you guys! And, since I’m seeing Kristen next month on her book birthday, the giveaway will be for 2 personalized copies :D Stay tuned!

Karen Marie Moning signing recap

HOLY CRAP, YOU GUYS. It was beautiful chaos – exhausting, but epic!

I got up at 5:45 am to get ready and left the house at 7. My GPS was on some serious shit when I got to Cinci, because she started sending me into parking garages instead of roads, telling me to turn in the middle of the bridge (into the river, lolz), and basically sending me around in circles for 20 minutes. Finally I spotted the bookstore and was able to find my own way! I got there around 8:30 and was lucky enough to hit the parking garage’s elevator at the same time as another woman going to the signing (I just realized I never got her name!), so I stuck with her. The line was crazy long already!! They opened early, thankfully, so we were only in the cold for about a half hour. It was 27 degrees! Brrr. I made a new bookish friend – her name is Keisha! I enjoyed killing the time talking to people around me. That’s one good thing about going to a book signing alone – you have at least one thing in common with every single person there, so it’s easy to strike up a conversation.

After buying my copy of Burned to get my wristband, I went back to my car to kill the next 2 hours reading. At 11:30, I headed back inside since the seating was going to start at 12:15. I found Keisha again, and we killed more time talking. They lined everyone up in groups of 20 to seat them in order of wristband number. There were 500 wristbands, and only 300 chairs…I was in the last 40 people seated, so I was cutting it close. So, we sat and waited.

Before the Q&A panel, Phil and a volunteer from the audience read an excerpt from Iced and then Burned. Phil has a great voice! The panel was very informal – instead of sitting at the table, J.R. Ward and Karen roamed up and down the center aisle so all the fans could see, answering questions and shooting the shit with their fans. Both ladies had awesome energy! J.R. Ward was HILARIOUS!! She was crass and inappropriate, dropping innuendos and cursing like a sailor – I loved every minute of it! She pretty much introduced herself by dropping an f-bomb (to make sure we knew she hadn’t “turned another leaf” haha). I guess someone from B&N told them to tone it down. And she did…for a while. She joked about one of the UK fans having sparkly boobs, cursed some more, and later mused that security was probably going to drag her away. She sure knows how to work a crowd, though! I would go to another signing of hers just because of her charisma…I definitely need to pick up her books soon!

j r ward karen marie moning
I really enjoyed hearing Karen answer all of the Fever questions, and talk about her story and characters. I felt out of the loop, though, because it’s been so long since I read the series. I need a re-read!!

The panel ended around 2:30 and we started up the lines. I read a little, talked a little more to the random strangers around me. I found out some of the girls there had driven 12+ hours, gone without sleep for 36+ hours, or waited in front of the bookstore since 3 am. Those are the true hardcore fans! (Although I would have gladly driven overnight and gone without sleep – *coughs* YALLfest…looks at Octavia *coughs* – if it had been farther away XD)

Karen took a break every hour, and Phil went up to do some giveaways. I didn’t win anything, of course. (But at one point, BOTH girls on either side of me won an audiobook! How disappointing! ONE freaking ticket number. Siiiiigh.) By the time I finally reached Karen, it was 5 o’clock! Whew! I told her she was my favorite (Adult) author, and she told me that made me her favorite fan (I’m sure she tells all the fans that, but it was still nice to hear!).

me and karen marie moning

I fangirled a little bit, then left and told her I’d be back. I got a danish and got back in line for a second go (there was a 2 book limit the first time). While talking to the ladies around me, I made a comment about having more books in the car, and the girl next to me said there wouldn’t be a third time through the line. She offered to hold my place in line, so I went back to the car to get the rest of my books. Good thing, too – they cut off the line right after I left! We waited in line for another 2 hours, and by the time everyone had gone through the first time, there were only about 20 or so of us left with bags of books to get signed. (We’re the hardcore fans haha ;D) I was super surprised that there weren’t more coming back through the line!

Karen was so gracious and agreed to stay until every book of every fan was signed, even for us crazies that had both series in every edition. I can’t even imagine how bad her hand must have hurt after signing well over 1,000 books! She thanked all of us for sticking around for so long.

I am SO glad I got the opportunity to go, and I hope to go to another in the future!

Weekly Recap

Posts on the blog:

Blog news:

I got my new business cards in the mail! I love my design on paper, but at the same time I’m not really happy with them. I went with VistaPrint because they were about 1/3 of the cost of Moo…well, you get what you pay for. If you look close, the design is super grainy and doesn’t look very good. It was definitely a lesson learned…next time I will spend the extra money for the quality!

business cards

giveaway

burned kmm signed

Because you’re awesome (and because I’m awesome, too, of course), I got an extra copy of Burned signed for you guys! YAY! Because it’s out of my own pocket, you must be following Novel Heartbeat by either Bloglovin’ or email to win. I am SO sorry, but due to the high cost of international shipping this contest is US only :(
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jessi (Geo)

Posted in: Features, Giveaways | Tags: ,

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16 responses to “Heartbeat Weekly (50): I met Karen Marie Moning!!! (+ giveaway!)

  1. Christina R. in the rafflecopter

    I’m so ashamed but I haven’t read any of her books but I’d love to!!

    Lovely post :)

    I have a US address but rafflecopter might show my location outside US because I’m doing a semester abroad

    thank you so very much!! :)

  2. Melanie Valente

    I remember reading Darkfever a long time ago, but it’s been so long that I definitely need a re-read!

    Thanks so much for the awesome giveaway!

  3. What do you mean YOU haven’t read J.R. Ward’s BOOKS!!! Are you insane lady? lol jk. You must read them, both her series are amazing. she’s also releasing another series this summer. I love her she’s my first PNR Author and will never forget it. Awesome post hun xoxo

  4. Stephanie H.

    I read Burned this last week on my Kindle, but I sooo wanted to go to the signing. Unfortunately, my husband started a new job a couple months ago and Saturday’s are difficult to get off. My best friend is much more of a Fever fan than I am, but while it would have only been 3-4 hours for me, it would have been about twice that for her. I don’t mind going to signings alone (and meeting new people to fangirl with),but between the size of the event and that I’m now almost 25 weeks pregnant, I decided to sit this one out. I’m keeping my fingers crossed she does a signing for the next book.

    I haven’t read the BDB series yet either. I have the first book, but I’m not sure when/if ever I’ll get to it.

  5. Amber Elise @ Du Livre

    It looks like you had a great time at the signing (I love the pic you took with Karen). I have like two books by JR Ward but haven’t read any of them. I’ve only read one by by Moning and looking at your book haul….I had no idea that she had so many books!

    I’ve been thinking about getting business cards too, I’ll look into vistaprint (I’ve seen their commercials around).

    Have a fab week Jessi!

  6. You’re event sounded amazing – you’re totally hardcore indeed! Wow, that haul is CRAZZZY, I’ve really put myself on some sort of ban/ putting into excel anything I buy as last year was toooooo much.

    Ah noo, I could’ve told you about vista print. I always recommend to go for Moo, I know it can get a little spendy but it’s totally worth it!

  7. What an awesome time!! I love KMM (though I’ve only read her fever series sp far) and how cool of her to sign all those books! And Phil was there! Gah, I think I would have melted, his voice is so firmly implanted in ny head as Barons! JR Ward sounds awesome! I just recently read the first book in her In Death series and loved it, so I’m a fan now :) what an amazing week!!! Here’s to another good one, though I doubt you can match that!

  8. erinf1

    that looks like it was such an awesome event! Thanks for sharing :) I’ve only read KMM older titles and I just got the fever series and I’m so excited to dive in! Thanks for the generous giveaway!

  9. Again, AHHHHHHHHH KAREN MARIE MONING.
    But anyways. Ahem. You should definitely try out J.R. Ward’s books too Jessi – they are SO good. Like, swoon-worthy good. I’m so happy to hear that she’s hilarious in real life!
    And it’s so cool that Karen Marie Moning was willing to wait until everyone’s books were signed! Hardcore fans high five! ;D<3
    Thank you for the giveaway too by the way!

  10. WOW look at all of those books!!!!! So glad you had a blast at the signing! I can’t imagine how tired her hand must be after signing that many books, haha! The little Elsa and Anna things are so adorbs! And I’m glad I know about Vistaprint now- I was totally going to make cards through them, because I’m a poor person, but now me thinks I’ll go with Moo!

    Ps. is Kristen Simmons coming to Ohio?! When? I want to go :D

  11. Christine A.

    I’ve read all the books in the Fever series except for Burned. I’ve also listened to a few of the audiobooks for her Highlander series. I’m not sure which KMM book is my favorite but I love her Fever series! I haven’t read any of J.R. Ward’s books but I have heard of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

  12. Such a cool experience! And soooo many books :) I’ve considered reading some of JR Ward’s books multiple times but never actually got around to reading them. I have to be honest, until I hear you mention her, I had never heard of Karen Marie Moning – I don’t read much adult LOL. But if I’m ever in the mood for adult, I might pick her up now :) And your business cards look great from the picture! I’m sorry you aren’t quite happy with them though – boo!

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