Monument 14 - Blog Tour

Hey guys! I'm super excited to have Monument 14 author Emmy Laybourne stopping by my blog today for a blog tour! Her awesome guest post is about her physical author tour that she has been on for awhile. if you haven't read Monument 14 yet I really recommend it. It's an action packed book you can't put down. 

Here's Emmy's guest post, 

I'm delighted to be here today, reporting in from my blog tour with the Fierce Reads authors. So far we've been in California - La Verne, San Diego, Petaluma, San Francisco, Menlo Park - and now we're in uber-cool Seattle, WA! Here are some of the things I've learned about being an author on a big book tour:

BOOKSTORES HAVE COOL BATHROOMS

Check out these images from Mrs. Nelson's in La Verne! Man, don't you wish this was your door?

I also liked this sign up in the bathroom at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego.

FANS ARE WHY I'M HERE

It has been such a joy to connect with readers. Having fun and joking around and taking silly pictures has been my greatest joy on a tour filled with some pretty awesome things. 

We met some high school bloggers at a lovely lunch at Book Passage in Corte Madeira, CA.

And here are readers responding to Anna Bank's question: "Who here thinks I have a Southern Accent?" We all do, Anna. It's charming! Get over it! 

BEING A FAN IS COOL, TOO

Last night we were joined by the incredibly cool Lish McBride. Her book, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, is one of my favorites in the YA genre, so I was a bit over-excited to meet her and behaved in a slightly dorky manner. It will not surprise you to hear that she was cool about it. Lish even said she'll blurb Monument 14 for me. Be still, my beating heart!

BLOGGERS COME IN ALL AGES

You know, WordPress sites look pretty fancy. So all the blogs that I'm reading about YA books have shared a certain standard of professionalism - they look great, they work great and I really never have a sense of the age/experience level of the blogger behind the scene. What I'm finding is that some of the best blogs are being written by the youngest bloggers. Take Benji for example, here in this picture, in the center. His blog "The Non-Reluctant Reader" (http://readerbenji.blogspot.com/) is absolutely awesome and he's so nice - well spoken, polite, funny… I was just blown away by meeting him.

MACMILLAN TREATS AUTHORS VERY WELL

We have stayed at the most amazing hotels. My top hotel: The Hotel Monaco San Francisco. This hotel is insane! Gorgeous rooms, beautiful decor and an astoundingly helpful and gracious staff. Yes, I have signed up for their loyalty program! Yes, I will insist my husband comes with me if I am so lucky as to get to tour again! No, I have not been paid by Monaco Hotels for this endorsement!

THE BEST SURPRISE SO FAR

Okay, beyond the gift basket that I found in my room last Tuesday night, the best surprise came for me at the SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT. Look, just look at what Marissa Meyer spotted in the airport bookstore:

It was just there with the other books, on a table, no less! I felt exhilarated and touched and almost tearful. There's my baby, out in the world, fending for himself! That's it for my Tour Report #2. I will give my final reflections from a life on the road at http://thisblondereads.wordpress.com/ on Friday 6/15. 

And lastly, as promised on my own website emmylaybourne.com, I have a contest winner to announce! A big thanks to all those who entered my recent Giveaway. The assignment was to answer the following question: You know you love Post-Apocalyptic stories when….

And here's the winning answer, chosen by my mom, Geraldine Laybourne:

You know you love Post-Apocalyptic stories when…. the town hall decides to hold a protest banning all books. You have demolished the rainforests, due to your huge paper consumption. Reading has now become a criminal offense.

Rebecca Hipsworth, you won!!! My mom thought yours was the funniest of all the entries! I will be sending you your signed copy of Monument 14, along with a poster and some bookmarks.

Thanks so much to Danielle and everyone at With A Book, for hosting my report from the Fierce Reads Tour. If you live in Salt Lake City, come party with us tonight at King's English!

Thank-you Emmy for stopping by my blog with the great recap of your physical author tour! I wish I could go to one of the stops, it seems like so much fun. :) 

If you want to find out more about Emmy's book Monument 14 you can visit her website HERE. 

If you've already read Monument 14 you should go check out the short story prequel HERE

You can also find out more about her physical author tour with the other Fierce Reads authors HERE