Book Expo America 2012

June 5, 2012: Book Expo America, New York City
Book Expo America is overwhelming, particularly the first time you go.  My personal advice, now that I am an “experienced” conventioneer:  have a plan.  I’m not speaking to the “Exhibitors” here but to the “Attendees,” the people like me who go for (1) the experience, (2) the opportunity to listen to author and/or editor panels discuss the future of children’s books, and (3) the “FREEBIES” – aka free books, free bags, free posters, bookmarks, pens, toys, etc. and (4) if you have patience with really, really long lines: author autographs.

My plan was simple.  I decided to attend the first day of the book fair, hoping that the publishers would not already have run out of free books. I mapped out the YA panels I wanted to attend, the book signings I hoped to nab, and I was going to fill in the spare time between activities with grabbing a few new-book galleys (or ARCs, aka Advance Reader Copies). 

The Javits Center in New York is so enormous that you can easily rack up miles walking around it (and extra credit miles trying to find a ladies’ room—my advice is, don’t drink a lot).  Since I was able to attend as an Exhibitor through my job, I relied on a colleague for BEA advice—she explained to me that I might have to seek the free galleys in the back of booths as the publishers don’t always put them out at once.  Not wanting to go home empty-handed,  I began combing the endless (and I mean endless) aisles of publishers’ displays.  Within 15 minutes I had a bagful of YA galleys.  I dumped the bag in my company’s booth and went out with a fresh bag.  Another 15 minutes resulted in another bagful of books.

It was around this time that I realized why so many people had arrived at registration with empty rolling suitcases.  I was going to have to CARRY all these books home.

After a break to attend the YA Editors’ Buzz panel, I decided to queue up for the Harlequin Teen Books autograph hour.  They were supposedly giving away galleys of upcoming books, including one by Julie Kagawa I hoped to snag. I thought I’d jump into the line near the Harlequin booth, but was elbowed out of the way by a woman who pointed behind her at a long, long procession of ornery autograph seekers.  250 bodies later, I finally found the end of the line.  An efficient young woman handed me a “ticket” postcard marked with a yellow square, showing all the featured books.  Ten minutes into the wait (and still standing in the same sad spot), I collared an apologetic young man who informed me that only the first 100 people on the line were guaranteed books.  THEY had tickets with GREEN squares.  “So,” I muttered, trying to keep my sarcasm in check, “what are the rest of us standing here for?”  Well, in case some of the first 100 people in line don’t take a book, he said.  I turned this over in my head—why would anyone stand in line for an hour to get a book and NOT take one?  He just smiled. 

Okay, enough standing on line.  I went back to collecting free galleys.  Another bag filled quickly.

There is a whole area in the back of the convention hall specifically set aside for autographing.  Designated queues post author schedules.  The lines aren’t as bad as at Harlequin, but certain authors are very popular.  (All this information is available online before the book fair so that you can plan ahead.)  Simultaneously, other authors are signing books in their publishers’ booths, and there are always several panel discussions going on at the same time.  I gave up quickly on the autograph lines which took up too much precious time.

I ended up attending three panel discussions.  The Young Adult Editors’ Buzz panel discussed hot new books coming out and why the editors felt so passionate about their books.  A second discussion took place between six YA authors who discussed topics like whether or not they pay attention to YA trends, collaborative book writing, and how much fan feedback influences an author’s upcoming projects.  The last panel I attended explored the future of children’s books with regard to technology: e-books, apps, and other upcoming “new models.”  The most important message from that discussion was that technology is a tool and should enhance rather than interrupt content.  It should be used to provide more options to encourage children’s reading.

By 4:00 I had four stuffed, heavy bags of books.  I knew it was time to leave because this free-book thing was a compulsion, and I wouldn’t make it home if I kept collecting.  So the bag lady (me) marched to the shuttle bus, stumped to the train, dragged to the car.  I had scored about 30 YA books.  Now I have to read them. 

So long, Jumbo (and hello SUCKER)

“So long, Jumbo”

It is a nice thing, when you are a writer, to be able to answer the question: “What have you published?”  For a long time I haven’t had anything to respond. This week I am finally able to say, “I published a story in SUCKER LITERARY MAGAZINE online.”

The characters about whom I write, mostly teens, would probably respond, “That’s so cool!”  or “Sweet!”  I must admit, I stopped briefly to pat myself on the back.  I am thrilled to lose my publishing-virginity, that clichéd elephant in the corner that all writers try to ignore.  There you go, Jumbo, have a peanut.  Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

So after the long wait for SUCKER’s debut (not so long when you realize a book can take a couple of years to be published after it is acquired), after the months of holding my breath in anticipation, how did the magazine turn out?  Wow!  It’s great—full of teen angst and love, romance and sex, coping with families, and lots of growing up.

Sucker is such a great title for this collection.  With interpretations both sweet and sour, it perfectly symbolizes adolescence—the years we bridge from childhood to adulthood, a time many of us still idolize but to which few would really want to return.

So, congrats to all us authors, but most of all, THANK YOU and congratulations to Hannah Goodman (also the author of a fabulous story in this issue) who did it the RIGHT way and published a quality online magazine for YA writers and readers.  Thanks, too, to her excellent staff of assistants—and a special mention for Alyssa Gaudreau whose sucker-themed photographs accompanying the stories were spot-on.

If you haven’t already read SUCKER, here’s a link: 

http://suckerliterarymagazine.wordpress.com/

Click on the cover of the magazine and download it.  It’s free!

Now that Jumbo’s cleared out, I need to get back to work.