Back From BEA

Hola everyone! I haven't posted because I have been in New York at the Mecca for someone like me, BEA or BookExpo America 2005 which was held this year in New York City at the Jacob Javitts Center. I had a fantastic, if exhausting time. I met with authors, publishers, editors, journalists, booksellers, librarians, book buyers and everyone in between. I was there representing my day job at AWN, Inc. and it seemed to be one big blur of meetings and books. I spent three full days on the exhibit floor walking around, having meetings, getting books, standing in line for coffee and autographs and just bumping into the nicest people.

The lovely Calla Devlin over at Chronicle Books invited me to a party and book signing for Eric Chase Anderson's beautiful little book, Chuck Dugan is AWOL which is illustrated with maps. Chronicle publishes the coolest stuff ever. The party was held in a charming and tiny bookstore called Three Lives and Company in Greenwich Village. When I hopped out of my taxi the store was already full and people were stnading outside. I got to meet Calla, who I've only known from e-mails and phone calls. She is just as sweet and wonderful in person as she is in correspondence. I saw John Searles there standing outside chatting with Naomi Wolfe. W0w. I should have gone over and said hi but was just too blown away by the combination.

In the Cinco Puntos booth I met Ruth Tobar from Children's Book Press. What a sweetheart she is! She took me under her wing and introduced me to more people. She even went to the trouble of getting me a much coveted ticket to the Consortium's party at Studio 4 but sadly, I made the mistake of going back to the hotel for a nap and slept right through to the next day.

I met Frank Miller after standing in line for what seemed like hours. Other authors I met were Barbara Ehrenreich who was charming, Candace Bushnell, Carl Hiassen, Audrey Niffenegger and so many others I can't list right now that I'm back and overwhelmed.

Here's the best part. I shipped home three HUGE boxes of books!!! That and the suitcase full that I brought on the plane which made the super shuttle guy ask me "Whatcha got in der Missy, rocks?" and my son who helped me drag it up the steps "Ah Mom, you gotta be shitting me!" I am going to be busy reading and writing my thoughts on these for a long, long time. Other exciting news - I am currently reading The Hummingbird's Daughter by a favorite author of mine - Luis Alberto Urrea. Not only that, but I get to interview him soon and will be writing it up for Xispas so be watching out for it there. If anyone has questions they'd like me to ask, please post them and I'll do my best to get them asked and answered. I'm also getting The People of Paper which I hear is strange and wonderful and I am so looking forward to getting it.

More soon!

Gina