As
my attendance at Book Expo America, 2019, ran its course this past week at the
Javits Center in New York, I felt the urge to reflect back on three decades of
participating in the largest book industry event in America.
My
first BEA was actually called ABA (American Booksellers Association). The name changed in the mid-90’s when the
show got taken over by Reed Exhibits. I
was at my first job, with Shapolsky Publishers (now defunct). It was in Las Vegas and that was my first
time out to deserted casino territory. It was around tne time it was transitioning to br Disneyfied bur still showed some grit..
I
didn’t know what to expect but I found it to be an amazing circus of
celebrities, best-selling authors and big-shot publishers putting on a
show. Everyone wanted attention for
their new and upcoming books.
Back then indie stores and chain stores would heavily attend the show to meet with publishers and get discounts on bulk orders. Librarians also came in droves. The media, with cameras, looked to capture glimpses of publishing royalty. No Internet. No social media. No Amazon. Just old school printed books from legit publishers – no self-published authors. It’s a bygone era.
Back then indie stores and chain stores would heavily attend the show to meet with publishers and get discounts on bulk orders. Librarians also came in droves. The media, with cameras, looked to capture glimpses of publishing royalty. No Internet. No social media. No Amazon. Just old school printed books from legit publishers – no self-published authors. It’s a bygone era.
Those
early BEAs saw crowds increase year to year. I recall one year in Chicago drew
over 40,000. The show now is about a
fourth or fifth of its former self, both in number of attendees and exhibitors.
The
show today doesn’t really reflect the health of the book industry. More indie stores are opening each year. Book sales are up. Print books made a comeback and dominate
still. But when you go to the show, you don’t feel like it reflects the health of the industry at present. Hybrid publishers, Amazon, ebook companies,
and others had little or no presence. They
don’t think it’s worth their time and money.
To exhibit is wildly costly – plus the travel, book shipments, and
related promotions could really make BEA an expensive proposition for many.
The year
2000 BEA will always be my favorite. In
Chicago, the first of the new millennium BEAs, was a lot of fun. I remember going to parties and seeing the
sights, including a Cubs game at Wrigley Field and Lucy the Dinosaur at the
science museum. It was also where I met
my wife. We’ll be married 17years this August. It was great, to fall in love with books –
and then to fall in love with a book person.
I
recall a few BEAs in LA and I think a return to Vegas, but the majority have
been in New York City, home of the publishing industry and the nation’s media
capital.
Some
BEAs of the past had people walking around in costumes, from Playboy bunnies to
popular book characters. There were a
lot more premiums handed out, and so many parties. The book world was not Hollywood, but BEA
could actually be a time of extravagance and hoopla for what’s normally a reserved
group of people.
When
you go to BEA you might have an agenda. Literary agents hope to place authors
with publishers or sell foreign rights.
Publishers hope to sell books to stores and libraries – and get advance
media coverage. Authors hope to connect
with the right people to advance their careers.
Book publicists of publishers seek out media coverage and independent
stores hope to stumble upon great books at bit discounts. But regardless of one’s goals, BEA gives us a sense of community and a greater love of books.
It’s
one of the few public places of such a large scale, where bibliophiles can
gather, where all that you hear in conversation is something regarding
books. Like a huge library or chain
bookstore, BEA provides a safe environment for people who treasure the written
word to come together. What a wonderful
feeling it is to be surrounded by books and the people who write, edit,
publish, promote, sell, and read them.
BEA
or ABA has been going on for a long time, dating back to the 1940s. I don’t know what it’s future is, but I do
know I hope there will always be a place for book lovers and those responsible for books to gather and
connect. The event is something you
can’t duplicate online or elsewhere. It
is really unique and special.
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