“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.”
Lord Byron
There it was, looming before me — the crystal palace! What a delight to enter its portals and see spread before me all the bookish treasures that any adoring wordsmith might crave! It was BookExpo America 2015 — the largest publishing showcase in North American — and yours truly was there via KWD as a book blogger!
For any author, BookExpo America is a truly amazing experience. Everywhere you look, hanging suspended from the vaulted ceiling of the Javits Center are colorful banners trumpeting the presence of publishing giants: Simon & Shuster! Scholastic! HarperCollins! Penguin Random House!
And among these giants nestled scores of smaller publishers with brightly colored displays and cheerfully uplifting names: Sleeping Bear Press, Apples & Honey Press, Buddha’s Light Publishing, Cider Mill Press, Cottage Door Press, Lake Isle Press, Red Bird Publishing, Quirk Books.
All in all, it was a festive atmosphere, with colorful children’s books and puppets; a raft of author signings, including Lee Child, John Grisham, and Geraldine Brooks; brochures, book excerpts, and giveaways, from pencils to pocket-sized books and bags. And sprinkled everywhere were innovative resources and services all kinds aimed at helping both publishers and authors connect with readers. Among them:
BooksILove: the first mobile platform to foster book conversations between groups of friends via smart phones and tablets.
BookGrabbr: a new web-based marketing firm with proprietary social media tools to attract new readers to authors and publishers.
BookWorks.com: A newly envisioned site launched by The Self-publishers Association featuring ahost of resources for indie authors designed to help them prepare, publish, and promote their books.
It’s exciting to be part of a celebration of books and authors — and it made me feel hopeful and proud to be part of a worldwide community of scribes. Write on!
