Our fourth annual teen book festival, Pasadena Loves YA, featured 17 authors, 4 panels, and a book blitz.
We owe a gazillion thanks to everyone who helped with the event including all the participating authors who not only donated their time and expertise, but also took care of their own travel arrangements. Thank you to the panel moderators–Audrey Coulthurst, Jessica Taylor, B.T. Gottfred, and Deborah Takahashi–thank you for taking on the extra task and the extra reading. Thank you to Vroman’s Bookstore for taking care of book sales.
Thank you to Bridge to Books for lending a helping hand: Alethea Allarey who created the graphics; Thuy Lam who is our social media maven; Alyson Beecher and Kate Grieco who were our panel timekeepers; Janelle Alexander, Carolyn Gruss, Helen Fairman, and Romy Griepp for monitoring the book signing lines and at the author luncheon; Jason Donague and David Yenoki for lifting and moving stuff. Thank you to our Security staff for the tables, chairs, and making sure parking was available.
Thank you to our photographers, Alfonso Huerta, Catherine Hany, and Jonathan Haile. And thank you to all our teen volunteers, Ioana, Sofia Y, Frank, Sophie W, Jonathan G, Angel, Chris, Denisse, Taleen, and Blossom, who took care of parking directions, raffle tickets, setting up and cleaning up the snacks and book blitz, handing out tote bags, and checking in attendees. And thanks to our youth interns Keiaira Bradley and Perla Moreno who led the teen volunteers.
The schedule for this year’s event:
Followed by the BOOK BLITZ at 3:45pm in Teen Central.
For more photos and posts about the event:
Pasadena Public Library Teens Blog: http://pasadena-library.net/teens/2017/plya/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pasadenalovesya/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pasadenalovesya/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pasadenalovesya
We owe a gazillion thanks to everyone who helped with the event including all the participating authors who not only donated their time and expertise, but also took care of their own travel arrangements. Thank you to the panel moderators–Audrey Coulthurst, Jessica Taylor, B.T. Gottfred, and Deborah Takahashi–thank you for taking on the extra task and the extra reading. Thank you to Vroman’s Bookstore for taking care of book sales.
Thank you to Bridge to Books for lending a helping hand: Alethea Allarey who created the graphics; Thuy Lam who is our social media maven; Alyson Beecher and Kate Grieco who were our panel timekeepers; Janelle Alexander, Carolyn Gruss, Helen Fairman, and Romy Griepp for monitoring the book signing lines and at the author luncheon; Jason Donague and David Yenoki for lifting and moving stuff. Thank you to our Security staff for the tables, chairs, and making sure parking was available.
Thank you to our photographers, Alfonso Huerta, Catherine Hany, and Jonathan Haile. And thank you to all our teen volunteers, Ioana, Sofia Y, Frank, Sophie W, Jonathan G, Angel, Chris, Denisse, Taleen, and Blossom, who took care of parking directions, raffle tickets, setting up and cleaning up the snacks and book blitz, handing out tote bags, and checking in attendees. And thanks to our youth interns Keiaira Bradley and Perla Moreno who led the teen volunteers.
The schedule for this year’s event:
Followed by the BOOK BLITZ at 3:45pm in Teen Central.
Photos by Alfonso Huerta
For more photos and posts about the event:
Pasadena Public Library Teens Blog: http://pasadena-library.net/teens/2017/plya/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pasadenalovesya/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pasadenalovesya/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pasadenalovesya
Announcing the 2017 Author Lineup for Pasadena Loves YA! Click on the author's name for more information about them.
The author's latest book is listed after their name on the list, and on their info page. Please check out their websites and social media for other books and more information!
Closer to the date, we will publish a list of the backlist titles that may be available from Vroman's Bookstore on the day of the event. Of course, you are also welcome to bring your own copies from home.
Ameriie - Because You Love to Hate Me
Audrey Coulthurst - Of Fire and Stars
Jeff Garvin - Symptoms of Being Human
Maurene Goo - I Believe in a Thing Called Love
B.T. Gottfred - The Nerdy & The Dirty
Emily Ziff Griffin - Light Years
Aditi Khorana - The Library of Fates
E. Katherine Kottaras - The Best Possible Answer
Robin LaFevers - Mortal Heart
Stacey Lee - The Secret of a Heart Note
Cindy Pon - Want
Chelsea Sedoti - The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett
Sherri L. Smith - Pasadena
Misa Sugiura - It's Not Like It's a Secret
Daniel Sweren-Becker - The Equals
Jessica Taylor - A Map for Wrecked Girls
Mary Weber - The Evaporation of Sofi Snow
Schedule info is coming soon! We'll also be sharing author bios and books over the coming weeks, so please follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and/or Twitter for the latest updates.
Ameriie is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, producer, and writer of fiction. She is the editor of the villains anthology Because You Love to Hate Me. The daughter of a Korean artist and an American military officer, she was born in Massachusetts, raised all over the world, and graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s in English. She lives mostly in her imagination, but also on Earth with her husband, her parents and sister, and about seven billion other people.
Find out more about Ameriie at
About Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy
Edited by Ameriie
July 11, 2017
Bloomsbury USA Children's
Available in hardcover from Vroman's Bookstore
at the Vroman's pop-up shop during the festival, and wherever books are sold
In this unique YA anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential BookTubers to reimagine fairy tales from the oft-misunderstood villains' points of view.
These fractured, unconventional spins on classics like "Medusa," Sherlock Holmes, and "Jack and the Beanstalk" provide a behind-the-curtain look at villains' acts of vengeance, defiance, and rage--and the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that spurned them on. No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again!
Featuring writing from . . .
Authors: Renée Ahdieh, Ameriie, Soman Chainani, Susan Dennard, Sarah Enni, Marissa Meyer, Cindy Pon, Victoria Schwab, Samantha Shannon, Adam Silvera, Andrew Smith, April Genevieve Tucholke, and Nicola Yoon
BookTubers: Benjamin Alderson (Benjaminoftomes), Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia), Whitney Atkinson (WhittyNovels), Tina Burke (ChristinaReadsYA blog and TheLushables), Catriona Feeney (LittleBookOwl), Jesse George (JessetheReader), Zoë Herdt (readbyzoe), Samantha Lane (Thoughts on Tomes), Sophia Lee (thebookbasement), Raeleen Lemay (padfootandprongs07), Regan Perusse (PeruseProject), Christine Riccio (polandbananasBOOKS), and Steph Sinclair & Kat Kennedy (Cuddlebuggery blog and channel).
Audrey Coulthurst writes YA books that tend to involve magic, horses, and kissing the wrong people. Her debut novel, Of Fire and Stars, was published on November 22, 2016 by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins. When she’s not dreaming up new stories, she can usually be found painting, singing, or on the back of a horse.
Audrey has a Master’s in Writing from Portland State University, is a member of SCBWI, and studied with Malinda Lo as a 2013 Lambda Literary Foundation Fellow. She lives in Santa Monica, California.
Her forthcoming novel, Inkmistress, will be released on March 6, 2018 from Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins.
Find out more about Audrey at
About Of Fire and Stars
by Audrey Coulthurst
November 22, 2016
Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Available in hardcover from Vroman's Bookstore
at the Vroman's pop-up shop during the festival, and wherever books are sold
Two princesses fall in love with the wrong people—each other.
Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.
Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses before her coronation—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine (called Mare), sister of her betrothed.
When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, each discovers there’s more to the other than she thought. Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. Soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.
But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.
Author photo by Evrim Icoz Photography
Jeff Garvin grew up in Orange County, California, the son of a banker and a magician. He started acting in high school, and enjoyed a fifteen-year career including guest-starring roles in network television series ranging from The Wonder Years to Roseanne to Caroline and the City. Recently, he’s returned to the big screen in an independent horror feature.
While studying at Chapman University, Jeff won awards for classical guitar and visual storytelling before graduating with a BFA in Film. As the front man of his rock band, 7k, Garvin released three albums and toured the United States. When the band dissolved in 2011, Jeff, who had always written short stories and lyrics, found his passion in full-length fiction.
His debut novel, Symptoms of Being Human, tells the story of Riley, a 16-year-old gender fluid teen who starts an anonymous blog to deal with hostility from classmates and tension at home. But when the blog goes viral, a storm of media attention threatens Riley’s anonymity. The novel is an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection, a Lambda Literary Award Finalist, and garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. It is available now from Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins
Jeff lives in Southern California with his wife, children, dog, cats, and a respectable collection of books and guitars.
Find out more about Jeff at
About Symptoms of Being Human
by Jeff Garvin
Feb 2, 2016
Balzer + Bray
Available in hardcover from Vroman's Bookstore
at the Vroman's pop-up shop during the festival, and wherever books are sold
Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. The thing is…Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in uber-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.
On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley’s real identity, threatening exposure. Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.
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