Hey, Germs! I don’t know about you, but come summertime, all I want to do is read. Being on break from school means finally having time to read for fun without worrying about homework. I also love getting to meet my favorite authors, but if you’re from a small town like me, you know that author events are a rare treat.

Have you ever wanted to see some of your favorite authors speak, but they never seem to come to a bookstore near you? With School Library Journal’s SummerTeen 2014 virtual conference, here’s your chance! SLJ is hosting a completely free online conference on July 24, from 11:00 AM to 5:15 PM ET, to discuss all things Young Adult literature. All you have to do to attend is to register here by the start of the event, and you’ll be all set!

The online conference is set up similar to what an in-person event might be like: there are author panels and times set aside for networking throughout the course of the day. Authors that will be speaking during the conference include Matthew Quick (author of Silver Linings Playbook and several YA novels), Gena Showalter (The White Rabbit Chronicles), Kwame Alexander (Crossover), Julie Kagawa (Iron Fey series), and many more. 

There are panels for a wide range of reading interests, and because the event is online, you can choose which panels you want to attend if you are unable or don’t want to stay around for the entire event. The different panels include discussions on romance in YA, sports stories, international authors/stories, graphic novels, and author collaborations! No matter what you’re reading interests are, there’s a panel for you. 

SummerTeen 2014 is the place to be for YA lovers this July, so I hope to see you all there!