BEA and Book Blogger Con - RECAP

Whew. I am on the train from NY, heading home after Book Expo America (BEA) and the Book Blogger Convention. It was really fun to be around so many other book bloggers this week. For me, book blogging is a pretty solitary experience. While I do interact with readers and other bloggers through Twitter and comments, the blogging itself is something I do solo, with little immediate feedback or sense of camaraderie. Maybe that's why I enjoy Nicole's That's How I Blog series so much - it's one of the few times when I get to interact, albeit one-way, with other book bloggers.

So meeting so many book bloggers in person, in real life, was really a treat. I saw some people I've met before, and met a bunch of new ones, and walked away with a big stack of business cards and new sites to check out. I also picked up some great blogging tips, and heard some thoughtful perspectives on some of the questions I often grapple with as a blogger - what do you do when you have established a personal relationship with an author and then you don't like her book? ...how important ARE stats, anyway? ...do you really need to be on Twitter AND Goodreads AND Facebook? ...is it unethical not to disclose your Amazon Associate affiliation? It was also fun to be on the Marketing and Branding Panel today - I learned a lot from my fellow panelists Ann (Books on the Nightstand), Thea (The Book Smugglers), Heather (Age 30+... A Lifetime of Books) and Yen (The Book Publicity Blog).

And that was just the Book Blogger Convention! Thanks so much to Trish from Hey Lady, Whatcha Readin'?, Pam from MotherReader, Natasha from Maw Books, Rebecca from The Book Lady's Blog, Michelle from GalleySmith, Amy from My Friend Amy, and Nicole from Linus's Blanket for all of their hard work in setting up BBC 2010. I can't wait until next year!

BEA itself was also a great experience. I mostly just walked the aisles, checking out both established and independent publishers. I picked up a bunch of books. (A 30 pound box is on its way to DC via UPS.) I heard a few authors, met a few others, and mostly just immersed myself the love of books percolating through the Javits Center. Of the books I picked up, I am probably most excited about Room, by Emma Donoghue, a book due out in September about a 5 year-old boy born to a kidnapped mother, who has lived with her in one room his whole life. I am also excited about the I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook I found in the booth of Ulysses, an independent publisher who has promised to send it to me. My favorite booth: Algonquin, by far - I love the titles on their shelves and they were very open and generous with bloggers at BEA, at least in my experience.

I will write more about the books I got as I start wading through the box.

Thanks again to the Book Blogger Convention organizers and to all of the great bloggers I met this week!

Comments

[Amy @ Frugal Mama]

It sounds like so much fun, Gayle! Room sounds fascinating, and I'm intrigued by the Trader Joe's cookbook. Yummm.

[Melissa (Betty and Boo's Mommy)]

You did a great job on the panel! So glad I had the chance to meet you yesterday.

This is the first mention I've seen of the Trader Joe's cookbook ... sounds like something I will need to look for.

Safe travels home!

[mari partyka]

Thanks for the writie up!

Did you know we are reading Room for the MMBC later this year? I am also REALLY excited to read this book.

[Gayle Weiswasser]

@Amy - I will report back on the Trader Joe's Cookbook!

@Melissa - thanks! I am so glad I got to meet you too.

@Mari - you have EXCELLENT taste in books! I had no idea it was an MMBC choice!

[Amy]

I had a great time as well, it was so great to meet everybody and talk to fellow book lovers in person - I also find that reading is such a solitary activity usually!

[Colleen (Books in the City)]

You did a great job on the panel - I enjoyed hearing your perspective!

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite markets - I didn't know they also had a cookbook coming out - thanks for the heads up!

[Gayle Weiswasser]

@Amy - definitely! I agree.

Thanks, @Colleen! I appreciate it! Also - the TJ's cookbook isn't actually put out by TJs - someone else wrote it.

[Lisa]

Ah, I've been so busy this past week, I haven't had time to feel sorry for myself. But boy am I wishing I had been in New York this past week!

[Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)]

It was nice to meet you this weekend! I agree that it was good to hear people talking about some of the same questions I think about when blogging all the time -- it helped make blogging feel a little less solitary. Your panel was also really informative to me -- thanks!

[Carrie, Reading to Know]

Yup - I'm sitting here with a stack of business cards and visiting new sites and following up with e-mails! Crazy but fun week!

[Diane]

I enjoyed the panel as well. The ladies who organized the Book Blogger Con did a fantastic job. They went from a one hour panel last year to a full day's worth of fascinating, useful information. It was good networking opportunity as well.

I can't wait to start ROOM too; it looks so intriguing. And I totally agree with you about Algonquin- they have the most interesting books and they are very happy to talk and share with bloggers.

[Heather]

It was great to meet you! Sounds like you had a fantastic time too!

[Rachel]

It was great to meet you last week :) I'm also really excited for Room, and the folks at Algonquin were great -- I'm also excited about their Buzz book, West of Here.

Great job on the panel, and I hope that I'll see you at a local blogger event sometime in the future :)

[bermudaonion (Kathy)]

I'm so glad I got to meet you!

[Serena]

Room is a book I keep hearing about...sounds fascinating and it was great to see you again!

[Heather J.]

Thanks for contributing to the Marketing panel! It was great to meet you. I hope you're enjoying wading through you box-o-books! :)

[Book Publicity]

It's nice to know that everybody had a great time!