By the time we got to the con, almost all autograph tickets had been clean swept. I wanted an RL Stein ticket to to improve my photo op and get more autographs, and I wanted a ticket for Holly Black/Cassandra Clare. I wanted Holly Black because she is the author of the Spiderwick Chronicles. Even though they said ticket distribution would start at 9AM and we were there with over an hour to spare, they said tickets went out at 5AM!!
As the con opens, I mooch my way in rather than wait in line, but Joresky was unsuccessful and had to wait in line. While there I discover that Cary Elwes is doing an organized signing promoting his new book! This wasn't on the web site when I checked it two days before the con.
We reserved our spots in the Elwes line and went to a panel for John Grisham! There was a bag of free books. A Time to Kill paperback by Grisham, Sycamore Road (Hardcover) by Grisham, and one more paperback book by the other author at the panel. I also grabbed a second bag that was unclaimed. So I had double. When this finished they were rushing him as I attempted to get a self blast. Despite being yelled at and even physically accosted, I manage to get a photo op that is valid
Back to Cary Elwes and they already distributed tickets. But thankfully a girl in line got a ticket for me. As a thank you I gave her a couple of books I got from the panel. The rest I sold on amazon and made a bit of change. When the witching hour comes Elwes was not even greeting fans just signing the stupid promo book and fans were handed a book from the stack pile. WTF
If you're going to do that why even appear? Just give out pre signed books. Thankfully it wasn't a big deal as I already had him from a past monstermania. Additionally, some people in line had the actual book that they bought from a bookstore (which of course they probably didn't get signed). But here you have a show called BOOKcon, and the author is appearing to promote a BOOK, wouldn't it make perfect sense to actually sell the full BOOK on site rather than give away a stupid promo of the book?
I guess some things just make too much sense. 
That aside, the way this went down was not a good omen for the Danielle Fishel (Topanga) signing, as that was supposed to be in the same place.
After this we scope out the signings area to try and get RL Stine. The combo Gods gave me a gift from the skies here, and I magically found an autograph ticket for him! I couldn't believe it! Since we had one ticket Joresky has to be on the outside of the ropes. Plus they said no other items and no photo ops only the book they were giving out. I got up and manage to score the following: Photo op for Joresky, photo op for me, autographed promo book they were giving out, AND one of my books signed
Next up we were trying for the Holly Black/Cassandra Clare signing. The combo Gods did not generate a ticket for that one, but they started letting people without a ticket into the signing. Unfortunately it was also no photo ops no alternate items as well. Only the promo book. Despite this I fight my way for a self blast with Holly Black whilst being yelled at. I manage to get the photo op. Cassandra tried to get him and I even unintentionally get most of her face in it. No extras in this one though. But I got the photo op so I can't really complain. The book that was given out I manage to sell on ebay for like $60.
All we had to fight to get what we want, there were donation boxes suggesting a $1 donation for each book we got signed. To that jar, my reaction was this face
On the way to the Daniel Fishel line I get a photo op Jeff Kinney the author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Joresky bought the book but I did not.
Back to the Daniel Fishel line. The witching hour arrives and she is doing photo ops with everyone. My reaction to that is this face
For autographs they are giving out stupid photos promoting the book. When I get to her I get the photo op, the autograph and try to get my 8x10 signed but to no avail. After the signing I try to chase her on her way to her panel for the autograph but get denied again. That's 0 and 2 autograph wise.
After this I try to get into the Holly Black/Cassandra Clare panel in an attempt to get Holly to sign my Spiderwick Chronicles book. They weren't letting people in but I manage to mooch my way in. One guy yells out "sneaky sneaky". Sadly by the time I got there they had gone, but they were giving out a bag of free books. It wasn't a total waste as I sold these books on ebay and amazon for some money. My mooching here would end up biting me in the ass later on. More on that later.
I then go to another panel with Rick Riordan (author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians), Lemony Snicket, and two others. After the panel only Lemony stopped the others walked away. I wanted that Riordan combo. I already had a Lemony photo op and had nothing for him to get signed so that was a bust
Then I get a text from Joresky that Danny McNulty from Boy Meets World is at the Fishel panel. That photo op plus another shot at the Danielle autograph meant that was a "must attend" panel.
I manage to get in the panel. After it ends I get a Danny McNulty photo op, he was nice as can be. After fighting the crowd I manage to get my 8x10 in front of Danielle, she begrudgingly signs it! More proof that persistence DOES pay off!
There were two more panels me and Joresky wanted to hit up. One was actor Jason Segel, and the other Veronica Roth (author of the Divergent books). Both were in the same room and the lines were completely shut down for both panels. To boot, due to my previous mooching, they beefed up security big time
Not going into that room meant losing out on potential combos. So I had to REALLY beef up my stealth. After exploiting some cracks in the system and saying a few prayers to the mooching Gods, 10 minutes later, BAM me and Joresky are in the room with Jason Segel!
After the panel he rushed out and does nothing for no one and I miss out my chance at a combo with him
A big fat woman also blocked my way to prevent me from scoring this. I guess you can't win them all We sit through the next panel with Roth and 3 other authors. After the panel she says she can't do anything and rushed out! Yet another failure. Well Veronica, back to the shelves of Walmart your books are returned to.
The other 3 authors were of course more than happy to do combos with everyone that asked. Though neither me nor Joresky even made the effort. This ended our time at book con. Bookcon is definitely a "buyer beware" type show. While my haul is far from a failure, PLUS I made some money with the free books I attained, I truly had to luck out and fight tooth and nail for what I got.
After book con I would venture for NYC meets. Stay tuned.
Full list of bookcon photo ops (notice the hand trying to stop me from taking a John Grisham shot)
John Grisham photo op
Danielle Fishel photo op
Autographs from bookcon (less the Cassandra/Holly one that I sold)
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