Yesterday, Ben and I headed over to Orlando for the UCF Book Festival. Last year got there, saw Billy Collins, and went home. This year, we decided to experience more of the festival by attending some of the author panels (the festival also got a a lot bigger in its second year and drew some really good authors).

Blood and Poison Across the Centuries: True Tales of Crime and Science
Holly Tucker; Douglas Starr; Deborah Blum

This panel was SO interesting. I really just wanted to see Holly Tucker because I’d heard such great things about Blood Work, but now I want to read all three of their books.

Family Secrets
Lori Roy; Susan Hubbard; Eleanor Brown

This panel didn’t end up being much about Family Secrets but I LOVE Eleanor Brown and she is even better in person than she is on Twitter. After the panel, I was able to meet her and have her sign my copy of The Weird Sisters (which you all should read because it is amazing).

In case you can’t tell, Eleanor Brown signed my book “To Books! To Shakespeare! To Twitter!” which is pretty much the best inscription ever. You all should definitely follower her on twitter (@eleanorwrites). Because she’s awesome. I also got my copy of Blood Work signed and purchased a copy of Bent Road by Lori Roy after her panel.

After the festival, we met up with a few other Florida bloggers for dinner and had a blast. Book bloggers are just so easy to get along with.

(clockwise from bottom left)
Jason (Jenny’s husband), Jenny @ Take Me Away, Sandy @ You’ve Gotta Read This, Liz @ Cleverly Inked
Heather at Book Addiction, Heather at Raging Bibliomania, Me, Ben

As bloggers in Florida, I think we often feel a little more isolated than some other parts of the country so it was really nice to hang out with everyone and I hope we do it again soon.

All in all, a VERY good, bookish day.