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Showing posts from June, 2012

Book Expo America 2012 - and kind of a newbie guide, too

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One of my favorite events every year is BEA-- Book Expo America-- held at the Javits Center in NYC. I started going somewhere around 2005, when one of my publishers invited me to join them in the booth. I knew it was a big event, but WOW, it was amazing! It was crowded as a rock concert, sprawled all over the place. Overwhelming, but in such an exciting way. All these people care about books! I thought. I wanted to cry. I remember meeting up with my editor at Writer's Digest, and running over to get a big hug from Fantasia Barrino just before she left-- I was second in line to write her book, which ended up on the Times list... sigh...-- and seeing some of my pals from Absolute Write. There are the crazy attention-stealers every year, like the guy walking around with a toilet seat around his neck, or the people in space costumes, or this year, the person dressed up as the devil making and making weird noises across from a Christian publisher's booth. For the most part, it...