Bloggers At BEA

Author Kitty Kelley
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last Monday was the Bloggers at BEA conference.  As with last year, this was not specifically useful to me, except in meeting up with some nice authors and nice bloggers. I met Kitty Kelley, Erin McHugh. and Erin Swofford all of who had out new books. I also met the phenomenally nice women from KISMET blog tours. Jen from Supernatural Snark, Melissa from Melissa Swims, and Allison from Allison can Read.  They really seem to have it together.

Even though Special Diet requests were actually part of the registration, no gluten free food was available for breakfast or lunch. Since this was part of what I paid for it points to administrative disorganization uncommon for events planners. It was REEDS first year owning the conference and they had dedicated a person to its administration. That's probably why we almost managed to stay on schedule which is notoriously hard for conferences.

The author speed dating in the morning went better than last year except the categories arranged did not apply to my needs. I ended up in memoir and cook books. A panel for the whole assembly, after Jennifer Weiner's amusing and helpful keynote was Blogging, What You Need to Know and What's Next seemed to focus on plagiarism on blogs.

The Afternoon session I chose was Critical Reviews, Honing Your Craft.  It had nothing to do with honing your craft. One blogger panelist took 15 minutes to tell us the one thing we should take out of the session.  Well, she was asked for one thing by the panel director, Barbara Hoffert,  and gave us five.  Another panelist was a lovely blogger who was, unfortunately, tongue tied on stage. And the third was a lawyer who spoke about the difference between liable and opinion. That was interesting but had nothing to do with honing my craft.

I opted not to attend the rest of the day since I had the big Harper Collins bash that night.  What a fun party that was. I met several interesting bloggers, including Angie from Angieville, Holly from A Harbinger of Books, Amanda from Stains on the page. Along with the great staff of publicists at Harper Collins, I met some authors including Michael Boccacino who has a new book out Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling coming out with Harpers in July.I hope to feature it on Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust.

The party was at the K Lounge, the upstairs bar of the Karma Restaurant. It had bas-reliefs from the Kama Sutra on the walls; and of course that's the first thing I noticed. But it was a great party and very kind of Harpers to invite me.

Taxi Cab Blues

NEW YORK, NY -(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

So, it's the end of BEA for me and I am waiting for a while for a cab in a stand.  There are two women in front of me who I think are together. As they get to the head of the line, a cab pulls up, but neither woman moves for it. Another pulls up and I said, well, if no one is taking this I am going to. I looked back and the woman is all mad at me. She wasn't with the other lady. I yelled, "Well if you want it take it," but she didn't get down, "Here!"  I had to yell to be heard over traffic.  She still didn't move. The first cab was still there.

 New York Cab  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Well, I feel really bad for stealing her cab, even though it was inadvertent inadvertently. And, the cab driver said that what was happening was that the other cab was discharging a passenger. But the woman waiting just was looking at the guy and not moving for a long time.  This is my public confession and apology.  I am also sad because that person now thinks I am an asshat and there is no way to apologize to her personally for my inept behavior. And a whole line of people at BEA now also think I am an asshat. Great.

Have you ever had an experience like this?

BEA TUESDAY

BEA today was wonderful, confusing and exhausting. I met up with Sylvia Day, Eloisa James, Caridad Piñero, Coreene Callahan, Laura Ann Gilman, Maria V. Snyder, Rachel Vincent and Chris Bohjalian, Plus, I chatted with some great blogger buddies and awesome teachers and librarians.

The goodness gets mixed up with the frustrating logistics of having to walk five blocks for a cab because they closed the taxi stand without telling us where to move to.

Here's some pictures from my wonky camera phone!

Sylvia Day in the
"Autographing Area"

A wonky photo of
Maria V. Snyder and
Rachel Vincent at Harlequin

Me with Coreene Callahan - Her FURY OF ICE
released today! She's the young, pretty
woman on the left.

Laura Anne Gilman
at the Science Fiction
Writers' table

Eloisa James!

And streaming continues:

BLOGGERS CONF! TODAY and Streaming LIve Video of BEA!

Hey! I am at BEA all week and they have made the super snazzy streaming video under the video available. Okay, so why did I leave the comfort of my office when I could just have watched this?

I will be off to the Book Bloggers conference today.  There's an exciting line up of big names set up for us: Jennifer Weiner, the Blogess, Kitty Kelley, Julie Kagawa and Leanna Ray Heiber (CHECK It OUT!).

More Surviving and Enjoying BEA

Starting tomorrow I will have the BEA live Streaming video up so, even if I get you nothing else, you can see what I am seeing.  Actually, like a ball game the video on here may be more and better than what I am able to see.
We're on our way to NYC, here's the last of my advice for the event plus some pictures.

Jana Oliver 2011

Hoping to run into Chris Bohjalian as he Signs his
new book Tuesday at Random House's booth.
I used to help Chris moderate his online forum.

Lauren Oliver 2011

The end of a busy BEA day 2011

Sniffly Kitty and I meet at Random House 2011
Day 1 & I'm already tired

• RESOLVED: This year I will only take home books I am pretty sure I will want to read.  I will quash book lust and swag greed. 
•  An Ipad is a fun toy, but unless you have 3G don't bother as WIFI is ludicrously expensive at the Javitts. I didn't use mine on the non-blog conference days. There's not much time to sit and type on it either. If you bring a lap top you will be so sorry by the end of the day.
  
  
• Coat Check is the great equalizer—of weight distribution across your shoulders. Especially for older bloggers like me paying attention to your body is important.  Go up to the coat check often to jettison books and swag into the rollerboard.
  
• You don't need or want all the books and swag. I have a PILE of books I haven't and probably won't read.  I found that if I missed a book at the show a publisher would send it to me later. The Red Cap who carted my suitcases around would have appreciated my having pickled up fewer books.
  
• Use the BEA Mobile planner. It even has GPS.
  
  
• Rest as much as possible, eat and drink enough.  Last year I got really dehydrated. 
  
• See something of the city other than the interior of the Javitts.
  
• Comfy shoes are a must but obvious.  Compeed (a blister pad that you can wear several days) is a brilliant addition to your toiletries. Some Advil, aspirin or Tylenol.
  



Lissa See at Random House 2011

• When you get a business card, write something on it or somehow make a note of who the person is and what your circumstances of meeting were.
  
• Last year I stayed at my sister's condo down in Battery City (by the WTC). It was lovely and free but after walking for five hours and carting a 100 books back each day  the last thing I wanted to do was go anywhere else at night. I made my husband go get take out and I missed several publisher events.  My point is that you should have real expectations based on your own energy levels, where you are staying.  Friends who stayed in NJ to pay less for hotel had a hard time finding transport home. This year we are staying Mid-town.
  
• Focus on connections.
  
• Take pictures with authors.
  
• Enjoy yourself but also remember this is business serious for publishers.  Publishers are questioning bloggers' place in the industry. Know why you blog and your numbers.  Maybe even have an elevator speech.
  
• Recognize that you can't be in every line and everywhere. You will miss one thing to pick up another. I am skipping big celebrity events like the breakfasts. I couldn't even see the panelists.

  

  What a BEA breakfast is like

BEA Bound: Survival Tips

Books  weigh a lot (Photo credit: henry…)

This is my second year at BEA. While I obviously love books and my business, and enjoy the camaraderie of the event I want to be clear that for me it is a work week; not a vacation, not a chance to score free books and swag.  Although, I do like free books... and swag.

 

Lessons I Learned at BEA 2011I am not so perfect (nearly but not completely) that I will be brilliantly carrying all my lessons from last year and no extra baggage, but here is what I hope to integrate into my BEA portfolio:

• Travel light to the event.  You don't need a camera AND and IPhone you only need an iphone. All you really need:
  
  • Your rollerboard.
  • $40-$100 and a credit card, photo id and your insurance card (just in case),I didn't even need that much on a daily basis.
  • Some powder and a lipstick , a travel brush or comb
  • Your phone and camera or camera phone, Use the BEA Mobile planner. It even has GPS to help you find a booth.
  • A notebook & a pen or two,
  • Business cards  
  • An energy bar*
  • Water *
  • Mints
  
  *Food and Water are expensive in the convention center. Last year finding GF was not possible. I went for a bigger breakfast and dinner than usual. Lunch was skipped or an Lara Bar. I am Gluten Free and I didn't really see anything I could eat more than a salad.This year may be different as there was actually a dietary exclusion space on the registration.
  
  Now, the Conference on Monday is different. We get food, and will have copious periods of sitting and listening. I will probably bring a bit more with me. 

MORE TOMORROW!

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