Excuse me while I bounce up and down in unrestrained glee.

So Book Expo America starts today. For those of you not in the publishing industry, BEA is basically the biggest book publishing convention in the world, and it's happening in Manhattan, and my department head got me my very own exhibitor pass and I could not possibly be more excited. Aside from the booths and the free galleys and the books books books everywhere and the fact that I'll probably run into people I know, there are the multitudinous amazing authors who will be there signing books. Like, for example, E.L. Konigsburg, author of The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, which was one of my all-time favorite books as a kid. Like Ann M. Martin of Babysitter's Club fame (who Haley just told me came out recently. I think that's pretty much the best thing ever.). Like Jerry Spinelli, Scott Westerfeld, and Judy freaking Blume. Like Marcus Zusak, author of The Book Thief, which made me cry in public for about 30 pages solid and I've since recommended to pretty much everyone I know. I am like inappropriately excited about this.

And and and! BEA is also sponsoring a Rock Bottom Remainders show at Webster Hall tonight. Who are the Rock Bottom Remainders, you ask? Why, that would be a rock band whose members are Dave Barry, Amy Tan, Scott Turow, and Stephen motherfucking King. YES.