Once again, BookExpo was changing things up! This year, the show was 2 and a half days, meaning the floor was opening on Wednesday at noon. It’s been different every year I’ve attended and so I never really know what to expect and I guess that’s part of the fun of it! But, I had my schedule ready to go, though of course, part of the fun of this show is being prepared for the unexpected and that always happens!
Since the show wasn’t opening until noon, it was a more relaxed morning. I still wanted to get over to the Javits Center a bit early, though no where near as early as I would be heading over the next two days. I got to the Javits Center around 10, got my badge and was surprised to see there was already a line at one of the entrances.
Even though it was only 10am, there was already quite a line to get into the floor. I had a meeting with a publicist right at noon, but I also wanted to grab a galley they were dropping right at the same time, so as much as I didn’t want to get on line, I felt I needed to before the line got any worse. While standing there, a man from Publisher’s Weekly Magazine came around and was asking a few people some questions. He was putting together an article for the next day’s magazine.
While I was waiting in line, I met up with Jamie, a fellow #bookstagrammer and then Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke came over to us. Standing in line is great for chatting with and meeting all sorts of people! I even ended up getting a copy of Liz and Lisa’s book right there and then – they are just the best!!!
The one event I usually attend on the first day is the Adult Book Editor’s Buzz Panel. This session is always mobbed, but I so enjoy listening to this presentation.Six
books are presented by editors from their respective publishing houses
and while I only had four of these books on my list, it was really
interesting hearing them tell why they were so passionate about the
books. Here are all the books that were presented at the session…I’m
sure you will be seeing lots about these books in the coming weeks and
months:
- How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones, Simon & Schuster, Publication Date: October 2019
- My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, William Morrow, Publication Date: January 2020
- The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott, Knopf, Publication Date: September 2019
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, Putnam, Publication Date: January 2020
- Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener, MCD/FSG, Publication Date: January 2020
- The Warehouse by Rob Hart, Crown, Publication Date: August 2019
After
the panel, there was once again mass chaos as galleys of the books were put out…on
two tables against the wall just outside the room. It was like a stampede trying to get to the
books and then if you were lucky enough to make it up to the table, you
found yourself trapped there for a while…so that’s when you just
started handing books out overhead…MASS CHAOS!!! But, I got my four
books and I was happy! This would allow me to not have to stand in line
for a book signing or galley drop to get these books over the next two
days.
After the floor closed, I met up with Tamara back at the hotel where we quickly got ready to head out to The Liberty NYC where Suzy from Suzy Approved Book Tours had organized another amazing gathering of book bloggers, bookstagrammers and authors. It was so much fun to be able to mingle and chat with everyone in a relaxed, intimate setting. Suzy puts so much work into this party and does not go unnoticed.
… Stay tuned for a recap of Day 3!
*And in case you missed it:
- Here is the Recap of Day 1
