My BEA Two Cents

Some of you might have heard of this little blogger/author/publishing event called BEA, or BookExpo America.  Some of you might be sick and tired of hearing about all of us bloggers who are going to BEA and blowing up your reader with post after post of BEA tips and experiences.  To my readers that fall in that category, I'm sorry, because this is that kind of post.  But I urge you to check out Armchair BEA, which helped me through the years I couldn't go to BEA.

Last year was my first year at BEA and I have to tell you the experience was AMAZING!  I was so fortunate to be able to go- in large part because when I told my friend and fellow blogger, Kim, about the event she literally made it happen.  I've always wanted to go but it seemed too expensive (it is pricey, but the memories are priceless) and too much work to figure out on my own.  With Kim, and our friend Steph, we made our plans.  I found two awesome Canadian roommates, Cindy and Kellie, to share a hotel room with Kim and me.  Suddenly the price for BEA was a lot more within my price range.

4 women, lots of clothes, hundreds of books!

The room was tiny, but the hotel staff and breakfast was awesome.  Plus it helped that even though we had a small room, we all hit it off really well.  Pick good roommates.  If you don't know them ahead of time, get to know them.  The four of us skyped several times before BEA, and in that way Kim and I were already friends with Cindy and Kellie before arriving in NYC. This year I get to stay with an amazing friend and blogger, Pam, of Midnyte Reader.  I am so lucky!!!

The Javits Center is huge, and you will be overwhelmed when you walk in.  But no fear, because there are thousands of your people there.  That's right, we are book bloggers, sisters and brothers of the BOOK.  Those who have been there before are happy to share tips with you.  It's the closest thing to utopia that you will experience on earth.  Just don't be an ass and you should be fine.  Smile, be polite, and I promise you that you will meet people that will reaffirm your faith in humanity.  Bookworms are the very best kinds of people.

So, what do you need to survive BEA?  Here's a list:

• COMFORTABLE shoes. Everyone says this, and everyone is right.
• Some cash- to park your rolling suitcases and to use in the non-ticketed signing area.
• Business card- bring a lot, pass them around.  Also, there are apps you can download on your phone so that you can scan business cards, which I plan on using if some bloggers only have a few cards. 
• Rolling suitcase- check it in, and fill it up throughout the day.  I should have made more stops last year but I was worried I would miss stuff on the floor.  Here's the thing- you are going to miss stuff unless you've got a timeturner.  The beautiful thing about this is that other books will find you when you least expect it. 
• Play nicely!  There are always going to be some snobduches at BEA, don't let them get you down!  Keep on smiling, 99% of people there will be awesome, so you be awesome too.
• Bring snacks and a small water bottle- especially if you're on a budget.  The prices are high at the Javits Center, but it's the same if you go to any event.  Last year I brought a big bottle of water and it weighed a ton.  There are water fountains, so it's fine to bring a small bottle and re-fill. 
• Wear comfortable clothes!  I suggest going business casual, especially if you're planning on talking to any of the publishing professionals.  Just like a job interview, they will take you more seriously if you're not wearing a tank top and shorts. Unless you have a body like Gwyneth Paltrow or Jennifer Aniston and can make a torn sheet look classy....
• BEA is a marathon, not a sprint! Don't panic, even if you miss a book drop one day, another chance may come along.  There is never, ever, ever, any reason to run, shove, or frog leap over your fellow BEA attendees... unless you're playing leap frog, but honestly, I wouldn't do that on the floor. 
• Apologize when you bump into people.  Apologize if people bump into you.  It never hurts to be overly polite. Also be nice to the Power Readers that come the last day of BEA, even if they're clueless.  Some of them are librarians and teachers, most just really love books and don't understand how BEA works.  One Power Reader did me a solid last year, and it really helped my attitude.
• If you don't know, ask.  Sometimes it's hard to know if a book is available to be picked up, so it's better to ask.  If the book isn't available, try to chat up the publisher, show interest and you never know what will happen! 
• If you're mailing books, unless you have money to burn, just take it to the post office.  Bring lots of tape!!! Send it media mail, which is ridiculously cheap.  I was dreading the trip to the post office, but it was actually a great experience.  We ran into some fellow bloggers, the employees were really helpful, and it was easier than I could have imagined.  It's hard to let your book babies go, so I suggest traveling with your must read ARCs.  But seriously, tape the shiz out of those boxes like you were preparing them for mummification.  
• The first day at BEA will be crazy and you'll get lost a million times if it's your first time there.  By the third day, the venue will seem small and you'll know where everything is.  I promise!
• Listen to everyone's tips and advice, and then do what works for you! 

And finally look for me!