Wrapping it up part I

I fully intended to wrap this up yesterday, but the full force of my NYC jaunt seemed to hit me on the backslide.  I was so exhausted yesterday, going to the grocery store nearly knocked me out.  I fell asleep before Mary Rachel or Mena.  Yikes!

Anyway, checked some of the blogs from the panel discussion I went to on Friday.  One of them has a good summary of the session:

http://www.fernham.blogspot.com/

It’s today’s entry.  So I am not the only one lagging on my blog entries.

Also, and I have not checked this one yet, but I have every intention to,

www.publishinginsider.net

Carl Lennertz’s page.  He’s at HarperCollins and is a guru for all things independent marketing.  He spoke at the day of Dialog and was really interesting.  Seems like a nice, “normal” guy, too.

Here’s another good one, if you’re into the lit-blog thing.  It seems to be much more of a debate on the East coast, or in the world of the true writer, than it does here, or in the library world – or at least that’s my take on it.  Of course, I tend to be a “hit me in the face with a frying pan and I’ll notice you” kind of girl. 

http://lbc.typepad.com/blog/

When I get back home to my notes (yes, I left them at home, by my computer! Who would expect anything less of me…) I will collect them all into some kind of substantive summary of the events.  I really enjoyed going, although it was really tiring, it was well worth it.

June 2

Today was much more productive for me than yesterday.  I attended the book and author breakfast, and got to see Stephen Colbert, Ken Burns, Lisa See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan) and Khaled Hosseini -we even got copies of 1,000 Splendid Suns ,his new book.  I had theatre seating, which was fine – I just brough my own breakfast – and it was wonderful.  Colbert was hysterical, Ken Burns was so fantastic – and Lisa See and Khaled Hosseini were wonderful, as I expected they would be.  It was a real treat to discover, upon reading the show daily that Lisa See was going to be in the Random House booth signing her new book Peony in Love (out in a few weeks) – so I got a signed copy, and I get to read it before anyone else!  It’s sillt, but that was a real triumph.  I also met Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, who wrote the Silver Palate Cookbook – it’s having it’s 25th anniversary so I got a new, signed copy of it.  I also got a lot more good galleys than yesterday, talked to some people, and got Dog the Bounty Hunter’s autograph – he’s written a new memoir (although there were no books yet, so he signed posters) for my friend Doyle.  (Dog’s wife was there with him, and she’s quite – er – well, she’s rough.  And a little scary.  Scarier than him, I thought.)

Went to the Nancy Pearl session with library marketing reps from four publishers, and together with the list that I got from the day of dialog, I really feel like I have a good feel for what’s coming up.  Lots of good stuff!

Went to the audiobook and author tea, got to hear Roy Blount, Jr., John Lithgow and Tom Perrotta.  I finally got an advance copy of The Abstinence Teacher.  Tom Perrotta looks like alot of the guys I went to college with.  As a matter of fact, he may be one of those guys.  Just kidding.

Went to Recorded Books reception at the New York Historical Society, which is on the west side of Central Park.  Wonderful program by Pulitzer Prize winners Michael Dirda and Jane Smiley and more free books!

I am exhausted, and will write more tomorrow and finish this on Monday. 

June 1, II

Well, I am quite tired.  Today was busy with lots of people but I think I got some good info.  In the morning i attended a panel session on book blogs entitled “Climate Change: The Environment in Book Publishing Blogs: Is their Growing Influence a Tastemaker’s dilemma? The Crossover Hurdle.”  The panel included three writers with blogs and a reviewer for the NYT with no blog – not necessarily a spirited discussion and no interesting screaming arguments – but good information and opinions on the value of  blogs and their place in literary criticism and reviewing.  No one on the panel was necessarily against blogging – 3/4 have their own blogs.  The discussion was mostly about whether or not the “democratization”of literary criticism is a good thing – that being blogging about books by the masses.  Most of the writers agreed that there are a majority of severely bad blogs out there -I quote James Marcus, one of the panelists – who quipped that blogs have unleashed “an oceanic torrent of drivel, the likes of which our culture has never seen before.”  (this really endeared him to me, because I really love the word “drivel” – but also, it makes a lot of sense.)  It’s easy to see both sides of the argument – should book blogs be considered a relevant form of literary criticism?  Or, why shouldn’t book blogs be considered a relevant form of literary criticism?  It occurred to me, while i was taking notes, that the argument that most of the people who criticize blogs don’t read them is something I can relate to – having recently discovered graphic novels and manga (not entirely willingly) – I have been guilty myself of taking an elitist viewpoint on something that is entirely subjective.  I see the thing with blogs – at least book blogs, as a similar thing.  There are good ones out there – and it’s really up to the individual to find the good information.

It’s an argument that can be and is applied to alot of things – how can you argue against something you have no first-hand knowledge of?  How can you criticize the relevance of something that may not be particularly interesting or useful to you, but might be to somone else?  It was thought-provoking.  here are the blogs of the panelists:

www.housemirth.blogspot.com
www.theoldhag.com
www.fernham.blogspot.com

I have to take the time to mention that, avid reader of “Chick Lit” that I am, I am so incredibly depressed that Jennifer Weiner did not show.  I was really looking forward to meeting her and having her sign my book.  I consoled myself with the thought that Tom Perotta would be signing advance copies of his new book (out in October, I think) but the line was ridiculous.  It was pathetic!  But, I did get Carly Phillips to sign a book, and Laurie Berkner, and Julianne Moore (the actress – she’s written a children’s book).  So all was not lost.   

 Also – James Marcus was one of the people in on basically the ground floor of Amazon.com.  Here is a link to his book Amazonia: Five Years at the Epicenter of the Dot-Com Juggernaut.  I have not read it but I plan to.  http://evans.evpl.org/search/tamazonia/tamazonia/1%2C10%2C15%2CB/frameset&FF=tamazonia&4%2C%2C5

I also attended a session on Microsoft Live Search Books, which I will write about tomorrow.  I am exhausted!

Jennifer Weiner is not here!

I am so bummed out.  Jennifer Weiner is not here signing books.  Apparently she has been sick, something about “blistery pockets” on her blog.  I don’t have much time to research the whys of it.  I am at the internet cafe and people are waiting. 

Waiting for the Graphic Novel Program at 2:30.  Went to Viz Media booth and got a bunch of samplers of graphic novel stuff – Shojo Beat, Shonen Jump, etc. 

Am going in search of Julianne Moore and Tom Perrotta.  More later!

June 1, I

Took the shuttle this morning to javits, got badge, walked the show floor until the 10AM session on blogging.  INteresting stuff, will write more about it later.  Plan to visit some booths and get some autographs – specifically Jennifer Weiner, before I go to the Graphic Novel Buzz session this afternoon.  I am sure I will have more to write later. 

May 31

Wow – busy day!  Started out by going to the day of dialog, which was near Rockefeller Center.  We took the Subway and ended up going too far so we ended up in Times Square.  That was a real disappointment.   Walked past the ABC Studios, where they film GMA.  Also saw Radio City Music Hall, which was right across the street from the conference center where the Day of Dialog was held. 

They day of dialog was very interesting – the first panel discussion was with the authors of “And Tango Makes 3″.  Particularly interesting to find out it’s one of the most challenged children’s books, and remembered that someone recently complained about it to one of the Oaklyn staff (although no formal complaint was filed, I believe.)  The authors and mediator were quite charming and the librarian rep was really interesting in her assessment of the controversy, as well.  I really enjoyed listening to the authors. 

The second panel was an “Editor’s Hot Picks” panel which was very enlightening.  There were editors there from HarperCollins, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Viking, and St. Martin’s Press.  We were treated to lists of upcoming fiction and non fiction titles to look for – I have a list of upcoming books to bring back with me.  Some of the authors mentioned will be at BEA signing books, so I’m making a point to look up some of them to get a jump on the season. 

I’m also proud of  myself for navigating NYC by myself.  It’s not that hard, if I just think of it as an extremely large version of Indianapolis.

Tomorrow is BEA and I have a list of stuff to do – book signings bu Janet Evanovich, Tom Perotta, etc. and some sessions – one on graphic novels. 

Here are a couple photos from my day:

May 30

Well, we’re here.  We arrived in our hotel room at about 7:30 New York time.  I am so tired.  I think Mollie is, too.  I know I should eat but I feel a little”funky” from all the traveling.  We took a cab into the city and it was pretty cool.

I obviously haven’t seen a whole lot yet, but I have noticed two things – 1) it smells like garbage and 2) the people seem friendlier than I expected them to be.  I don’t know what I expected, but people aren’t looking at me like i have a neon sign over my head that says “from Indiana”.

Tomorrow is the Librarians Day of Dialog.  The Book Expo starts Friday.  I have not seen anyone famous yet, but I thought I saw Sean Hayes on the street, then I figured he looked more like Simon Rex (anyone remember him?  He was on MTV for like, a minute 15 years ago.) But it was obviously just some random guy.

I plan to have a lot more to report tomorrow, with photos -my main goal is to see the Chrysler Building.  And the Empire State building. 

7 days and counting…

This time next week I will be on my way to NYC.  I’m making lists of things to take and getting excited, in general.  Although I am nervous about flying (I have not flown since 1996!), I’m really excited about the trip.  It should be really cool.

I’m going to Book Expo in NYC!

…which is extremely cool because I’ve never been to New York or Book Expo.  So here’s where I will record my journey of new and exciting discoveries!  I’m leaving May 30, to return June 3.  Check back for witty banter, cool photos, and exciting updates!