We’re nearing the last week in May and Book Expo America (BEA) is right around the corner. This time of year gets me giddy like a kid on Christmas Eve. In a few short days, I’ll be at the biggest publishing trade show in the United States. I’m so excited I just might squeal.
There’s so much to look forward to at this event, it’s hard to choose just five things to list here. But since this is #5onFri here’s my list of five things I am MOST excited about at Book Expo this year.
1) Discovering Hidden Gems
Every year, I always happen upon one or two hidden gems at BEA. These are often moments of serendipity when I hop in line for a book signing on a lark, or I pick up a random ARC (Advance Reader Copy) because I thought it “looked cool.” A few literary diamonds I’ve discovered this way include Mike Curato’s Little Elliot, Big City, and Andrea Seigel’s The Kid Table.
Little Elliot, Big City
by Mike Curato
This book is beautiful in its simplicity. It captures a toddler’s perspective with compassion and respect. Every time I read it, I’m amazed at how an author can show such complex emotions with so few words. Also, this story always (ALWAYS) makes me tear up when I get to the part where Elliot meets the mouse.
The Kid Table
by Andrea Seigel
This book is now my go-to text example of a book that uses timelines in an interesting way. This story is told as a series of family reunions and holiday gatherings, one per chapter. With each celebration, Seigel places the reader smack in the middle of a scene, but builds it out in such a way that we can infer what has happened in the months that have elapsed since the last chapter. This is a fabulous example of a book that “skips time” in the story without missing a beat.
2) Fun Photo Ops
Where else but Book Expo could I get a photo of myself next to R2D2? And what about these Star Wars themed Lego statues? Um, kinda awesome.
More importantly, though, Book Expo is a great place to reconnect with author friends and celebrate their writing wins. One of my favorite things to do at the show is go to a friend’s book signing. Not only is it fun to get a signed copy of my friend’s book for my very own, but it also helps me remember that good things can happen in this business. If I work hard and I’m persistent, who knows, someday that could be me.
3) Cool SWAG
Not all SWAG is noteworthy. In fact, at an event like Book Expo where it feels like bookmarks and buttons are being foisted on me from all directions, it’s rare for something to catch my attention.
Every so often, though, some bit of SWAG will make me stop and do a double-take. It doesn’t have to be something flashy or even all that expensive. What makes something fall into my category of “cool swag” is how well it ties together with the book being promoted.
One year I picked up a cool journal that was a promotion for a new edition of The Hobbit. It immediately caught my attention because it was pretty, useful and totally fit the book it was promoting. Just as Bilbo recounts his adventures in The Hobbit, I might record my “there and back again” story in this notebook.
Another interesting piece of swag was a measuring tape promoting a YA book about a fashionista. What a cool idea! Intended readers for this book are probably craftsy and could use a measuring tape. Useful, and fits the theme for the book it promotes. Another example of successful SWAG.
Of course, part of the reason I like to collect cool SWAG is because it will give me ideas of what to do when my own book comes out next year. As I walk the show, I pick up any promotional materials that speak to me and store them away. In a few months, I’ll need to start planning my own SWAG strategy and I’ll be ready for some hard-core brainstorming.
4) Meeting My Literary Heroes
OK, I’ll admit it. There are moments at Book Expo when my inner fangirl comes out. Like the time I saw Billy Collins and we chatted briefly about one of his poems. Cue fangirl moment in 3… 2… 1… *OMGyou’reBillyCollins!squee!*
You have to understand, as a New Yorker born and raised, I’m used to seeing celebrities everywhere. Heck, I went to school with kids of celebrities. It’s really no big deal. There are so many famous people swarming around the streets of Manhattan that I don’t even notice them most of the time. In fact, as a true New Yorker, I don’t usually look up when I’m walking around the city (partly because New Yorkers don’t do eye contact, but mostly because I’m busy scanning the sidewalk to make sure I don’t step on something gross).
Put me in a room with authors, on the other hand, I just might start squealing like a tween girl at a One Direction concert. For me, there’s something remarkable about meeting an author whose books/stories/poems influenced my life. Books have had a far more powerful impact on me than any movie, show, or music group. To me, authors are the mega-stars.
5) Fine, I Confess: I’m at BEA For The Books Too
Over the years I’ve trained myself to withstand the Literary Super-Dazzle (or LSD), but let’s face it BEA wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t for all the books. I’ve learned from carrying heavy bags around the show that it’s smarter not to take ARCs unless I really want to read them.
Still even when I reel myself in and limit which books I take, I usually end up acquiring enough reading material to keep me busy for a year. Every day I come home from BEA with a carry-on suitcase full of books and lawyer-hubby shakes his head. I insist that I only took the books I absolutely *needed* but he doesn’t believe me.
The truth is, books are my lifeline and are essential to my very survival as a human. Books and literature got me through some of my toughest times in my life. As a shy, nerdy kid, reading introduced me to new friends and magical worlds, places where I could be myself and not worry if I “fit in.” As an angst-ridden teenager, poetry helped me feel less awkward and alone. And as an adult, books have not only continued to entrance and entertain me, but they have allowed me to discover a career that I love.
Book Expo is a celebration of books, literature, and the people who bring these to life. By the end of that week, my feet will ache, my back will hurt, I’ll be dehydrated, hungry and exhausted. But for the love of all things literary, it will be worth it.
