Proof of Life
May. 30th, 2009 09:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lagilmanAchy, tired, dehydrated life, but life nonetheless. O Universe, thank you for only making me attend one day of BEA...
(the Javits Center is large, visually interesting from the outside, spacious enough to hold an entire village, idiot included*, and has the worlds hardest concrete floors that even the double-layer of carpet padding the larger booths pay to put down can't make comfortable. 10 out of 10 podiatrists and chiropractors disapprove. It is also at the far end of Manhattan in what we un-affectionately refer to as the ungentrifable wastelands)
It was a quieter than usual BEA; while all the usual vendors were there (except Amazon, unless I missed them?), there were far fewer books bags and whatnot being given away, and by mid-afternoon the crowds were noticeably thinned out. Which was good, since a) my signing was in the morning and b) that meant after my 1:30 interview I could get through the booths to talk to the people I needed to see, wearing my freelancer hat. It also meant that I came home with far fewer books than usual, which is probably a good thing. Also: two special-for-heavy-chewer dog toys for Mei Chan, from one of the pet guide publishers.
Oh, and I saw the "Espresso" book-creating machine. It's larger than I thought it would be, and at least one of the samples I saw came out mis-bound, but for small press trades I can see where it might totally change the game. It's not going to replace a well-made hardcover [or even a quality mass market] yet, though.
The signing? Oh, the signing went quite well. I knew, signing as "Anna" that my crowd would be smaller, but they still kept me busy for the length of the signing and a little bit after, and many people who came up said "oh, you're also her!" in tones of delight, and lamented they hadn't brought any of the Retriever books to sign as well (proof that people don't read bios, yay!). Also, although I didn't get to the S&S booth in time to get pictures of the galleys being given out *sads* two people did come by with them to be signed, so I do know they're out in circulation now. Eeeeep.
I also had a meeting with a d.y.m.k. client that went extremely well, and I have hopes of it becoming an ongoing project.
This morning, my back hurts, my eyes are dry, and it has finally stopped being glum and rainy and looks to be a beautiful day. I may amend plans and go sit in the local park and read for a while, Just Because.
*plus livestock and vehicles and farming instruments. Srsly. It is HUGE.
(the Javits Center is large, visually interesting from the outside, spacious enough to hold an entire village, idiot included*, and has the worlds hardest concrete floors that even the double-layer of carpet padding the larger booths pay to put down can't make comfortable. 10 out of 10 podiatrists and chiropractors disapprove. It is also at the far end of Manhattan in what we un-affectionately refer to as the ungentrifable wastelands)
It was a quieter than usual BEA; while all the usual vendors were there (except Amazon, unless I missed them?), there were far fewer books bags and whatnot being given away, and by mid-afternoon the crowds were noticeably thinned out. Which was good, since a) my signing was in the morning and b) that meant after my 1:30 interview I could get through the booths to talk to the people I needed to see, wearing my freelancer hat. It also meant that I came home with far fewer books than usual, which is probably a good thing. Also: two special-for-heavy-chewer dog toys for Mei Chan, from one of the pet guide publishers.
Oh, and I saw the "Espresso" book-creating machine. It's larger than I thought it would be, and at least one of the samples I saw came out mis-bound, but for small press trades I can see where it might totally change the game. It's not going to replace a well-made hardcover [or even a quality mass market] yet, though.
The signing? Oh, the signing went quite well. I knew, signing as "Anna" that my crowd would be smaller, but they still kept me busy for the length of the signing and a little bit after, and many people who came up said "oh, you're also her!" in tones of delight, and lamented they hadn't brought any of the Retriever books to sign as well (proof that people don't read bios, yay!). Also, although I didn't get to the S&S booth in time to get pictures of the galleys being given out *sads* two people did come by with them to be signed, so I do know they're out in circulation now. Eeeeep.
I also had a meeting with a d.y.m.k. client that went extremely well, and I have hopes of it becoming an ongoing project.
This morning, my back hurts, my eyes are dry, and it has finally stopped being glum and rainy and looks to be a beautiful day. I may amend plans and go sit in the local park and read for a while, Just Because.
*plus livestock and vehicles and farming instruments. Srsly. It is HUGE.
