OUAB 2022

 

Thank you for stopping by my blog to read about mine and my husband's experience at #OUAB2022!! We had a fabulous time!! So, let's get to it!!!

Months before the author signing, I wanted to add some of my crochet projects to the raffle table!!! So I crocheted a Mandrake from Harry Potter, Dobby the House Elf and two Falkors from the Neverending Story!! The first Falkor went to our hostess and owner of OUAB, Stacey Rourke and the second Falkor went to the raffle table!!

Edson and I left on Thursday, July 21, 2022, with a packed car, at about 10 am est. Dobby and the Mandrake were seat-belted into the back seat and both Falkors were in the back window!! Now this is Ed's first time to Frankenmuth and I was extremely excited to let him enjoy this town!!

Once we get into Michigan, we decide to have a bit of fun with one of the Falkors!! Falkor was spotted at the Coldwater Visitor Center just on the other side of the Indiana/Michigan boarder. He was also spotted in our hotel room at the Knights Inn in Bridgeport. Then he was spotted downtown Frankenmuth at the visitors center also!!!

Thursday evening, we met up with Heather Karn, Melanie Gilbert and Melanie's husband at T-Dub's Pizzeria and Pub in downtown Frankenmuth for dinner!! It was so nice to them and be able to spend time with them!! For dinner, Ed had boneless BBQ wings and onion rings and those onion ring were HUGE!! I forgot to get a photo of Ed's wings but you can see how big the onions were below!! I had a hot Turkey which consists of toast and potatoes smothered in turkey and gravy. It was sooo yummy!!

                       Hot Turkey                          Onion Rings

I also got an adorable little crocheted kitty and we named her Sparkles!!

SPARKLES

And that was the end of Thursday......

OUAB 2022

Falkor was spotted one last time at the Bavarian Inn Lodge

Stacey Rourke was introduced to Falkor #1!! He was so happy to be going home to his furever home with Stacey!! I also delivered Falkor #2, Dobby and the Mandrake so they could be added to the raffle table!! 

Friday morning started up at 9 am with registration, panels and book bingo!!

Before panels started, we sat with Douglas Pierce and he gave me a signed book card of his latest book he's working on!!

KEYNOTE SPEAKER & PANELS

Keynote Speaker, Eric Asher

PANEL 1

L-R Alicia Rades, Megan Linski, Bam Shepherd, Hope Daniels and Alicia Dawn

I was given a fan during panels and it came in handy because it was a bit warm!!

PANEL 2

L-R Alicia Rades, Megan Linski, Rue Volley, Terry Maggert, and Delphina Miyares

BOOK BINGO

Then after the panels were over, we played Book Bingo and Ed and I both got a bingo and won prizes!!

These are our stamps that we got to keep and use for our bingo cards

I won the book pouch!!

                                                                                   

                                                   Ed won a make-up case and gave it to me

AFTER PANELS

After panels were over, Ed and I decided to go and eat at Big Boys for a late lunch!!! Ed hasn't had food from this restaurant for years and I have never eaten there before!! So this was a fun experience!! Sparkles also joined us!!

SPARKLES AT BIG BOY RESTAURANT

BIG BOY RESTAURANT

 

                                      Ed with Big Boy                                        Big Boy Sign

After lunch, we headed to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland with some Sparkles shenanigans!! Ed was shocked at how big this store was!! We were there over an hour but we didn't see the entire store though!!

After we checked out Bronner's, Ed and I went back to our hotel and unloaded the car and got ready for the Monster Ball at the Bavarian Inn Lodge.

When we picked up our tote bags at the registration table and here's all the goodies in them

I got a necklace of the snitch from the merch table at OUAB registration and then Ed shocked me with the t-shirt!! I wanted that so bad, but at the time, he wasn't sure if we could get it!! And look at that cute bag that the t-shirt was in too!!

OUAB MONSTER BALL & AWARDS SHOW

Friday evening at 7 pm, the doors opened for the Monster Ball!! There were many people dressed as monsters but Ed and I just dressed nicely!!

Our Hostess, Stacey Rourke

Stacey Rourke made me cry 3 times at this event!! The first time was the photo collage that she put together from people who gave her photos to show how their two years has been in their lives!! Stacey had a photo of our favorite wedding photo that we gave her and she played See You Again from Furious 7.

Dinner was delicious and it consists of salad, buffet and dessert!!!

The second time was when Ed went and tracked Stacey down to request that everyone could sing Happy Birthday to me and Faith Marlow got it caught on video!!! A little backstory....Stacey had come on stage and told everyone that she had a request and that somebody had a birthday in 4 days. I sat there counting on my fingers and trying to figure out who Stacey was talking about and looked up and asked Ed "Who?" and then Stacey said my name!! So I am going to take a moment and thank everyone that was at the event that sang Happy Birthday to me!! It truly made my day!!

I was also spotted photo bombing photos like TL Shively and Faith Marlo!!

THE AWARDS

The awards was awesome!! So many nominees and winners!! I was so very happy for everyone who won!! And I won Reader of the Year!!! A Little backstory...I had told Ed previously that day that I wasn't going to win Reader of the Year because there were many other amazing nominees up for the award too!! So when Stacey called off all the nominees, she paused before announcing the winner. Once my name popped up, I said, "What?!?! Oh no, no, no, no!!" But I hobbled up to see Stacey and cried again!! And by this time, everyone at the table we were at, was handing me tissues!!! I do want to take a moment and thank everyone who voted for me!! I never would thought in a million years that I had such a huge fan base!! I am so honored and hubble!!! Thank you all again!!

     

                     Photo taken by Amber Rollison     Photo taken by Victoria Perkins

                                         

                                                       The awards are so amazing looking!!

I even got my picture taken with my favorite twin authors Melanie Gilbert and Heather Karn!!

                       L-R: Heather Karn holding Sparkles, me and Melanie Gilbert and Faith Marlow photo bombed

DANCING

The music was awesome and I caught Ed a couple of times dancing in photos and a video!!

AND THAT WAS THE END OF FRIDAY

SATURDAY: THE AUTHOR SIGNING

Saturday at 9 am, the author signing opened for the big ticket people and then at 10 am, it opened to the public!!! Ed and I got there at 9 am to get in early because we had golden tickets!! And I will apologize right now for not seeing ALL of the authors at the signing, but I hope they all come back for OUAB2023. I love listening to new authors talk about their books!! The more excitement they show for their books, the more I want to purchase the book and 9 times out of 10, I either purchased directly from the author or I have the book/books on a amazon list and I purchase them from amazon!! I also love talking with and seeing all my friends that I have met through the years at OUAB!! 

NOW FOR THE PICS OF ALL OF MY FRIENDS WHO TOOK PHOTOS TOGETHER

Me w/Tina Donnelly

Me w/Heather Mullins

Me, Ed and Heather Mullins

                                       Me w/Rue Volley                 Ed talking to Rue's husband, Von

Me w/my favorite RA Author, TJ London

Me w/Megan Linski and Alicia Rades

Me w/Amber Rollison

Me w/Angie Ready

Me w/Crystal Gray

Me w/Faith Marlow

Now I know I haven't spoken much about the raffles so here are photos from the raffles and pictures of the winners with their prizes!!

Falkor by Himself

The Mandrake in a Harry Potter Basket

Dobby in a Harry Potter basket

AND THE RAFFLE WINNERS

FALKOR #2 WINNER

DOBBY & HARRY POTTER BASKET

TINA DONNELLY'S MOM WON THE MANDRAKE AND HARRY POTTER BASKET

MY GOODIES

I had put in 80 tickets between Friday and Saturday and I won this awesome Halloween Basket which I wanted so bad!!

GIVEAWAY BOOKS AND SWAG

MY BOOKS AND SWAG

Then on Sunday, Ed and I started our trip home!!!

Ed and I are packed and ready to go home

My stuffies had front row seats home too

HOME

Ed and I made it home and we unpacked the car and left everything sitting for a few days before we unpacked and put it all away!! Morris was so happy that we were home!!

NOW MY AWARDS NOW SIT SIDE-BY-SIDE

I am a 2x award winning Reader of the Year 2018 and 2022

NEXT YEARS OUAB THEME IS...

TICKETS ARE UP FOR SALE NOW!!! CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO GET YOUR TICKETS!!!

OUAB EVENTBRIGHT

OVERALL REVIEW

Ed and I had the time of our lives and it was so nice to see everyone!! I was so glad to see friends and to meet new-to-me authors!! Ed also made new friends and he had a blast and even though we got covid it was well worth it just to see everybody!! Ed and I have already been talking about getting tickets and staying two extra days to check out more of Bronners and downtown Frankenmuth!! Thank you Stacey Rourke and family, all the volunteers and the Bavarian Inn Lodge staff!! And we hope to see everyone again next year!!