It’s hard to describe the excitement of mingling with tens of thousands of people in the publishing world. Book distributors, librarians, educators, book sellers, authors, wholesalers, publishers large and small — they’re all there. The LA Convention Center was packed with some 30-40,000 people.
At BooK Expo, you can meet with foreign rights agents, chat with the presidents of publishing houses, get a book signed by a celebrity, or set your book up for catalog distribution. But don’t overlook the bounty of free books!
From advance reading copies of upcoming releases to reprints of classics from deceased authors, many publishers offer stacks of books free for the taking. It almost feels like stealing. And, of course, there are imprinted canvas book bags to haul away your loot.
Aside from working the booth for a half day and representing the 30 authors participating in the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA) effort, I have goals of publicizing my own activities, namely this blog and the upcoming teleseminar (Wed., June 4, 2pm EST — click the teleseminar link to the left to learn more!) as well as the January release of my cookbook from Broadway Books.
Here are some of the highlights of my first day at BEA in Los Angeles:
- I stood in line to get a book signed by Barbara Walters (her new memoir). When it was my turn, I told her she looked lovely (very true) and gave her one of my cards with a recipe from my upcoming cookbook on the back. It’s a long shot, but how great would it be if she actually looked at it and was interested in my cookbook when it comes out in January?
- I distributed more than 100 cards to authors interested in learning more about publicity and told them about the teleseminar on Wednesday. I printed the cards with the recipe on one side and the publicity information on the other in hopes that people would hold on to the recipe, if nothing else. Having something extra that people want to keep on your materials decreases the probability that your piece will get jettisoned before it ever gets home from L.A.
- I spoke with a guy who works on the big L.A. food and wine festival in April. I will keep in touch with him and see if I can get on the stage there to do a cooking demonstration.
- I picked up about 20 books to carry me through the year and be passed around my circle of book-loving friends and relatives. I’m sure I’ll get more today.
Even though I alternated between 3 pair of shoes, I still managed to come out with a massive blister by the end of the day! Do men have this problem?
The first day was so exciting and overwhelming that I never took a single photo! I will try to today. Wish me luck!
One Comment
You rock, Elizabeth!