BEA 2016 Recap

A few weeks ago I had the the privilege of attending Book Expo America -- the largest publishing trade show in North America -- which is always an amazing experience!

The best way to describe it is cornucopia of the publishing world, including established and debut authors of all genres, panels on industry trends and, as you'd expect, plenty of books.

Book Expo has historically made it's home in New York City, but this year the show had a change of venue, moving to Chicago and McCormick Place. Of course, the largest convention center in North America would be a fitting place to house the largest publishing trade show on the continent.

BEA 2013 Recap

Book Expo America was a bit of a whirlwind this year. Barely four days including travel, burning the candle at both ends as usual. Such is the life of a BEA-goer right?

Prior to my leaving Alex London, author of Proxy, described BEA best: "You go there for one panel, 6 weeks & 473 tote bags later, you emerge and still haven't found a way to get a cup of coffee." Yep, that's pretty accurate.

I retrieved one woefully under-caffeinated boy blogger AKA Wes after two hours of driving and a lot of traffic. We arrived in NYC around 1 p.m., parked the car with relative ease, and checked into the hotel before immediately heading out to Rockefeller Center to meet up with Emily at a lunch get together where I also got to see Katie from Katie's Book Blog, Bailey from IB Book Blogging and Lauren from 365 Days of Reading.

Afterwards Katie, Emily, Wes and I hopped the subway to Penn Station and made the walk to the Javits Center to get our badges in preparation for the opening of exhibits the following morning. We found Yara at the hotel and spent some time catching up before getting ready for the Harper Collins  Blogger Party.

Me and Jessica. 

This was the point at which we learned the only pants Wes had packed were khaki shorts and suit pants. Waaaah waaaaah! So naturally Yara offered him her sparkly pants. Very New York. Sadly, Wes turned them down.

Overwhelming doesn't even begin to cover the Harper shindig. It was packed to the brim and you could barely hear your own conversation at times, but we had a blast. I got to chat with number of authors, some I was already familiar with and others who I was meeting for the first time.

Tips for tackling BEA

Book Expo America is a week away, and we know a lot of you are headed to NYC to attend. We've thought back on past experience and each of us has come up with some last minute tips that could help if you prepare and have an enjoyable show.

• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Have a plan. 
• Be ready for that plan to fly out the window. (AKA Be flexible.)
• Pack snacks. 
• Always bring back-up. (i.e. a friend or blog partner)

• Pace yourself. BEA is a marathon, not a sprint. Do everything you can, but remember it's supposed to be a good time. 
• Keep your eyes and ears peeled. Look for signs listing signings or galley drops. Listen to people chatting next to you in line to learn what signings and books have them excited. You may find something to add to your list. 
• Be bold. Approach people working the booths and ask about a forthcoming title you're anxious to read. Better yet, ask them what upcoming book they adore. Who knows? They may just put a copy in your hands. 
• Stay hydrated. Bring a water bottle you can refill and drink up. It's easy to get caught up walking the floor or waiting in lines then suddenly realize you haven't had a beverage in hours. 
• Remember where you are and that you're representing yourself or your blog because other people will remember how you act. I won't belabor the point, but like the saying goes "you never get a second chance to make a first impression."

•  Acquire effective cab-hailing skills for easy travel. I cannot provide tips, as I have poor cab-hailing skills.
• Pack comfy footwear in the event that #1 does not occur. 
• Have backup coffee vending locations for when the Javits Starbucks has a line of 900 people. You may not know my backup coffee location.
• When someone takes the last copy of the book you want, suddenly stops in front of you, or bites you, remember this simple stress-reduction motto from Bad Boys 2: wooosaaah. 
• Have a great time. It's New York City and more books than you could ever hope to read. 

Check out previous posts on BEA... 

BEA on a Budget 

BEA: The Low-Down 

BEA: What the heck do I do now? 

BEA: Packing 101

We'll see you at the Javits!

BEA Recap Part 2

The old adage "it's a marathon, not a sprint" totally applies to Book Expo America, and after two days of warm-up the endurance test began. Up before the sun, and don't stop till your feet fall off. Re-attach and repeat. 

By 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning the line to get into the Exhibit Hall at the Javits Center was longer than anyone in our group had ever seen it, at least at that hour. Excitement combined with the fact that some highly anticipated titles, including The Diviners by Libba Bray and The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, were dropping that morning contributed to the extra-long entrance queue. 

Jessica and I wound up in two different lines to get in and were like speeding trains passing each other for at least the first hour. When I finally encountered her again, she looked like this: 

Baby's first BEA. Awww...

Carnival of Souls mask and The Great Meat Cookbook apron. *sigh* And only an hour or so into the expo. 

We all buzzed about that morning snagging books that dropped. Stacey, Wes and I wound up in Ruta Sepetys line at the Penguin booth to get Between Shades of Gray signed and pick up a super-early advance copy of Ruta's next book, Out of the Easy. Emily was supposed to be in line with us but was detained on the other side of the Javits. Luckily, Wes was there and able to get a copy for her. Emily was so thrilled she texted me something to the effect of: "I will kiss him!" Wes' equally emotional response can be seen to your left. 

Jess, John Green fan girl extraordinaire, had a mostly silent freak-out when she saw him pass by. On finally approaching him, did she profess her undying love for his work? Nope. She said star penis. (Click it and read the whole story. You know you want to.) It must have made an impression though, because she made John's BEA video. 

BEA Recap Part 1

Book Expo America is crazy on steroids. That's the only way to explain it, although a written and pictorial account of the insanity follows. 

No matter how many times I go (and this is year three for me), it's always an absolute whirlwind. If the show itself isn't enough to overwhelm you, throw in a break-neck pace and a healthy dose of chaos and voila! Crazy cupcake with drama icing. And I mean that in the best way possible! 

It all kicked off last Sunday when I crawled in the car around 7 a.m. after roughly three hours of sleep and took to I-95. After two hours, just south of D.C., I picked up Jessica. Forty more minutes and one state line later, Wes joined the party. Both were caffeinated and thankfully Wes' general apathy about, well, everything negated Jess' particular brand of perky. 

Don't worry. Six hour car rides and living in a shoebox for a week will really bond you. We were still friends by the end of the conference, see? 

Jess, Wes and Susan AKA The Wastepaper Prose Team. 

Fast forward through a lot singing which Wes deftly ignored by sleeping, and we made it to the hotel without incident. Once we arrived, the hotel staff informed Jess several times that it was a very small hotel. The statement was a constant reprise and seemingly their answer everything. They weren't lying either. The hotel was so small that you couldn't walk a circle on any floor because the elevator was in the way. The rooms weren't much better. Members of our room block came to refer to them affectionately as our cubicles. 

Once we settled in, we collected Stacey, Monica and her sister Jessika and headed out into the city to get a meal despite the drizzly weather. Enter the Skylight Diner and an obscene amount of bacon. Pancakes and bacon. Bacon cheeseburgers. Even a napoleon with a side of bacon. Apparently bacon is BEA fuel. 

BEA Packing 101

Book Expo America is just days away and you're all packed, right?
Think again. 

Take five minutes and re-evaluate what you've packed. Yes, it's probably fine for your standard vacation, but packing for BEA is a whole different beast. Clothes and tolietries are essential, but there are a few things you should know about how to pack.

Light layers that mix and match. - I know everyone says this and you're probably saying "Yeah, gotcha. Next!" But I'm serious. Temperatures in NYC will be soaring and the climate of the Javits Center is always unpredictable so light layers are a must.

Roll up your clothes. - It saves space, and it prevents wrinkling. This is especially helpful with dress clothes and dresses. However, I wouldn't use up all the extra space you gain from rolling up your wardrobe. You'll probably mail 90% of your books back home, but there will be the precious few you want to take home in your suitcase and the extra space will come in handy.

Pack three bags in your luggage. - Outside of your tolietry bag, you'll need 1) a backpack, 2) a reliable tote bag, and 3) a purse or bag for walking the city (unless you're a dude). You'll get tote bags in the exhibit hall, but it's good to start out with one you trust to carry weight. The backpack is to carry your empty totes, water bottle, camera, wallet, etc and any books you need to stow quickly. You may be inclined to bring a messenger bag instead. Don't! The backpack is best for weight distribution. Your shoulders will be tired enough as is. The purse is self-explanatory, unless you're good with the backpack for non-BEA activity.

Don't pack books. - There are a lot of events going on during BEA, signings with authors you fear might not ever come near your city. Whatever you do, don't pack books to bring to get signed. You will be going home with plenty! If you do bring books, be selective. No more than a handful because you're not going to want to lug around the extra weight all day. (Although, the backpack would be excellent for this.)

Power up. - Keep all your power cords together in a Ziploc bag or a specific compartment of your luggage. Again, bringing power cords seems like a no-brainer, but there's a catch. Your cell phone charger should live on your person if your phone is prone to lasting less than 8 hours. Cell phones, specifically texting, are the ONLY effective for of communication in the Javits, and if your cell phone dies then you'll be stranded without a lifeline, despite being in a room packed so full of bodies you can barely breathe.

BEA: What the heck do I do now?

Book Expo America 2012 is fast-approaching and I, like a lot of you, am making plans to head to NYC and attend North America's leading publishing event. It's a great place to learn what books are forthcoming, check out the trends, network with publishers, meet authors and other bloggers and of course pick up some books you're excited about. But how exactly do you go about tackling such a gigantic trade show? 

Well, I've done posts in the past on BEA Tips to prepare you for the event and how to attend BEA on a Budget. Today, I'll share my two cents about how to avoid being overwhelmed on the show floor. 

The exhibit hall is a maze of booths neatly tucked in along numbered aisles, but once the exhibits open they will disappear in the insane crush of people. Your program and a map might help, but that's if you can find a spot to safely pull off the main drag and re-orient yourself. With so many things going on and the level of activity ramping up, you have to have a plan to handle the chaos.

The key to success is preparing for the question you'll spend 90% of BEA asking yourself. 

"What the heck do I do now?"

Know what you want to do. -- What are your goals while at BEA? Meet authors. Meet your publishing contacts and make new ones. Hit the stages and listen to authors and editors talk about what's new. Wander the booths and get an insiders opinion by asking representatives what they're excited for. Focus on books and try to snag the ones you're excited about. It's all up to you, but at least somewhat sort it out before you get there.

Get organized. -- Use the BEA website and organize before you get to NYC. You can find floor maps and a list of exhibitors. The Find tool is also particularly helpful for finding author events and signings. You can even use the My BEA tool to organize your schedule.

Have a schedule, even if you don't stick to it. -- Use the tools I mentioned above to make yourself a schedule. It will be helpful even if you don't stick to it. Include signings in-booth and in the autographing area, stage events, meetings, and any other events you're planning to attend during BEA hours. Put the big picture down on paper so you can see exactly what's on your agenda and where the conflicts are. You'll also be able to mark which events are most important to you. And don't forget to double-check your schedule the week before BEA since schedules are constantly evolving. 

Author Insight Hiatus

Hey guys and gals. Sorry I didn't post this sooner, but I'm at Book Expo America this week and decided to hold off on Author Insight until I get home. It's been a world wind week of literary madness, so regularly scheduled programming will resume next week. See you then! (If I make it off the BEA floor alive....Eek!)

BEA: The Low-Down

Book Expo America is only 21 days away!

You've planned. You've booked the hotel, mapped out subway routes to the Javits Center, and talked to more people then you can count about what to expect. But more tips can't hurt right?

The Metro - Use it. A 7-day pass is only $28 and it's worth every penny. It gains you access to all the subway lines and the buses. It's the most efficient way to travel around the city. And if you aren't sure what line your stop is on or whether you need to go uptown or downtown, don't be afraid to ask. Ask a booth worker or one of the many cops you can find in the stations.

Pack comfortable shoes - This will differ for everyone, but pack the best all-day walking shoes you've got. If they don't match your outfit, who cares! You will be walking a convention center that is a NYC block wide non-stop for three full days. By 5p.m. on Day 3 your feet will be bigger than an overdue pregnant ladies if you don't heed this advice.

Checking In - Take the time to get to the Javits Center early on the first day of exhibits or even the afternoon before. Getting your BEA badge early will save you time. That means you can hit the floor faster.

Business Cards - If you're attending BEA, presumably you are there to make or solidify contacts with people in the industry and to learn a little bit about the inner workings of the publishing industry. Business cards with basic info on them are perfect for quickly handing off info to someone while waiting in a signing line or chatting with someone at a booth. Some of the publishers last year had "fishbowl" giveaways and cards were handy for that as well.

Networking - Don't be afraid to talk to people. Yes, BEA is fast paced but you can get off a few sentences and a business card exchange without taking up too much time. Don't just go up to a booth and ask for a book. Introduce yourself, mention you're a blogger (if you are) and drop a card with them. The same goes for autographing lines. Speak to the author and give them a card. It can't hurt.

Food & Drink - When it comes to eating, the Javits is an expensive place. A bottle of water you'd normally pay $1.69 for is $3.50 there and food is no better. Carry a water bottle you can refill with you on the floor. It will save you tons of cash. Also pack a few snacks in your bag. They may save you life when you forget to eat lunch amidst the BEA chaos.

Schedules & Time Management - Build off of the schedule BEA has made available and set priorities. Use an excel spreadsheet, color coding, or whatever you need to, but map out the signings and panels you want to attend and rank them. If you have three things to do in one hour, designate one that you can skip if you are short on time. It will help you make quick decisions on the spot.

Easy carrying - Not carrying your books at all is the easiest way to take the strain off your back. There is a baggage area where you can check a rolling suitcase, and stop by occasionally throughout the day to drop of your books. If security is your concern, someone stays at the baggage area at all times. I've heard there were instances of books going missing from that area two years ago, but I don't know if someone watched over the bags then. I didn't hear any horror stories from last year. While you'll get plenty of tote bags at BEA, the best advice I can give you is to bring a bookbag or messenger bag to hold your personal belongings, books and all the totes you accumulate. It'll take the stress off individual arms.

Shipping - There is a shipping area at BEA run by FedEx (I believe), but depending on how much you are shipping it can get pricey. Your other option is to hang on to your books and walk the few blocks from the Javits Center to the post office so you can ship your BEA bounty via priority or media mail and save yourself some cash.

Armchair BEA - For those of you who can't attend BEA this year, you can live vicariously through those who are going. Sign up as a participant for Armchair BEA and get updates on all things BEA.

I think that's it for now...

 I'm not affiliated with BEA in anyway. I did attend last year and am happy to answer questions if anyone has any. Just leave it in the comments. Otherwise, I'll see you all at BEA!

BEA on a Budget

Book Expo America is coming up, so I thought I'd share what I learned last year with my readers since I know so many people who are planning to go. It's only four months away and there is lots of planning yet to be done. These are just some tips to help you attend BEA without breaking the bank...

Book early. - It sounds simple and silly, but it matters. BEA is held in New York City, and it's inherently expensive to stay there. Hotels also tend to fill up fast because the expo takes play in May  when lots of other things are going. Booking early guarantees you a room and can save you as much as a few hundred dollars.

Roommates are awesome. - Sharing a room with friends cuts costs significantly. If you don't know people in real life who are going then check with fellow bloggers. Ask around on Twitter or post on your blog. Other people are probably looking for roommates too.

Coordinate flights. - Just like hotels, booking early is important; however, you still have to get from the airport to the hotel. Talk to friends or roommates in advance and coordinate flights so that you arrive at the same time as someone else. You can share a cab and cut costs.

Don't fear the diner. - Diners are a blessing in disguise. It's all fine and well to want to eat at a fancy restaurant while you're in NYC, but you can't sustain that three meals a day for nearly a week. Consider your options. Diners, pizzerias, and other holes in the wall can have amzing food for great prices. They may not have the nicest facade, their neon sign might be broken, and even the interior may not be anything super special, but if they aren't putting money into the look of the place then it must be in the food right? Looking for local diners will also stave of the instinct to cling to the familiar albeit mediocre and go to Applebees on Times Square. You're in the Big Apple people!

Don't eat at the Javits Center. - Remember all the times you’ve eaten at a sporting event, the ice capades or anything other event of the like. For the price of one meal at a convention center (anywhere and especially in NYC) you could eat 2-3 meals out in the city. Your wallet appreciates you eating elsewhere.

Carry a water bottle. - Running a convention center that is a NYC block wide will leave you parched. If you carry a water bottle you'll save yourself from paying $3 a bottle for water.

You can't put your car just anywhere in NYC. - Driving to NYC can save money, but what you save in transit can easily be eaten up in parking costs. (I drive and love it because I have control over my own travel.) There are a couple of parking options though...

• New Jersey - If you can find a way to stow your car in Jersey then you can take the bus over courtesy of NJ Transit. Check out the site to see what cities you can get a lift from.
• Central Parking - Counsult their website to look at long-term parking options near where you're staying. It will tell you which garages have week-long rates and which one will be cheapest. You can also print coupons.
• Hotel Partnerships - Many hotels in the city partner with parking decks nearby then offer a rate cheaper than what the deck/lot would normally offer. Call around if you've got a few hotel options and see what they offer in terms of parking.

Think about transit. - In NYC there is no shortage of transit options. The two you'll likely use the most are taxis and the subway. Cabs usually aren't prohibitively expensive, but some trips are more expensive than others and fares can rack up fast. The beauty of the subway is that you can buy a week pass for $28. You just swipe and go.

The contingency fund. - Have one. Save a little spending money, but put away more than you expect to actually spend. Unforseen expenses can come up at any time and you don't want to be caught without the cash.

Last year I probably spent about $600-$700 at BEA between the hotel, travel and food. This year, thanks to a lot of planning, I think I'll wind up spending $300-$400. I think that's pretty good, don't you?

Back to Blogging

Wow was Book Expo America amazing! In case you didn't notice, I didn't blog last week because I was in New York City for BEA.  I got home in the wee hours of Saturday morning and crashed hard after five days of near constant walking, but let me tell you that it was well worth it. I got to spend a week hanging out in the city that never sleeps with lots of authors and tons of blogger buds, all of whom proved to be even cooler in person than they are online. I even saw the obligatory subway crazy while riding the train.

I'll give you all the play by play over the next few days. By the end of the week I pretty much felt like I had been hit by an 18-wheeler. I needed to take a day off to recover. Now that I have I'll be getting back to the daily grind. You'll hear all about BEA in the coming days and of course the Author Insight series will continue this Tuesday, so stay tuned...

Meet me at the Book Expo?

Wow am I nervous! I've seen several people put up BEA meet-up posts, including The Story Siren and Sharon Loves Books & Cats, so I decided to throw in with the cool kids and do one too.

Here goes... My name is Susan. I like long walks on the beach, soft jazz (the closer it is to elevator music, the better), full-bodied red wines... Alright! You caught me! I like exactly none of those things. I'm a recovering sodaholic, avid reader and aspiring fiction writer who is pretty laid back and tends to go with the flow.

But seriously, as I type this post, I feel kind of like I'm making one of those awful videos for a dating service, all the while wondering if it will go unwatched. I hope that's not the case, but if no one responds, I have a dog, a computer, and a stack of books that don't judge. I'll be fine without you!

(Stay tuned for the best "dating service" video ever!)