Worst Book: Six Weeks to OMG: Get Skinnier Than All Your Friends, by Venice A. Fulton. Is there really a need or market for an anorexia handbook? The internet is already crawling with thinspo and fitspo. Craziness.
New Book I’m Most Excited About: There were so many awesome books, but I’m currently reading the ARC of Jussi Alder-Olsen’s new Nordic thriller, The Absent One. Apparently Alder-Olsen has written a number of books in this series, but this is the second that’s been translated into English. I’m seriously thinking about learning Danish so I can read through without waiting for the next book to be translated.
Best Celebrity Sighting:
It’s a tie between Tom Wolfe & Tim Gunn. Tom Wolfe was being interviewed in a mini TV studio booth. His white hair perfectly matched his white suit. He looked exactly like you’d expect, except older. Tim Gunn was signing in a booth, and looked very pleasant and elegant.
Nicest Industry Professional:
Joanna Volpe.
Most Intimidating Industry Professional: Lynn Nesbit. Watching her on a panel made me sit up straighter in my chair and quit fidgeting.
Group Achievement Award:
The perfectly turned out young women who were
working the publishing booths all day long in high, high heels. They were like the Ginger Rogers’ of BEA.
working the publishing booths all day long in high, high heels. They were like the Ginger Rogers’ of BEA.
Best Booth: All of them? Seriously, it was a paradise of books.
Worst Booth: Dianetics, aka Scientology. It was front and center, and very red. The booth and its workers oozed creepiness.
Coolest Promotional Gimmick Bigger Than a Bread Box: The life size bubble mimicking the cover of the final book in Ally Condie’s Matched trilogy, in which you could get your picture taken. I got mine taken, and will have to update once I have access to it.
Coolest Promotional Gimmick Smaller Than a Bread Box: The postcard for Claire Legrand’s forthcoming The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls. Check out the bug!
Worst Promotional Gimmick: A young woman running around in a see through white bodysuit with angel’s wings. I’m still not sure what she was promoting.
Best Tote Bag: Olivia the Pig.
Best Purveyor of Confusion: The cart selling nuts at the back of the exhibition floor. Every time I passed by it, I thought I was smelling cookies baking and got excited. Nope. Just nuts.
Worst of the Javits Center: The most easily accessible bathroom while wandering around the exhibition floor was a four stall bathroom that had a long line of women snaking out at all times. Of course, there was no line for the men’s room. Come on, conference center designers! Four stalls?!
Best of the Javits Center: The pretty views available from perches on high staircases.
Worst Behaved: People pushing, shoving and clawing to get at tables of ARCs.
Best Behaved: People bonding while waiting in endless lines to get books signed.
Strangest Animal Sighting: A small dog being aggressively pushed through the aisles of the exhibition floor in a carriage.
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BEA was awesome, exhausting and something everyone should go to once. Luckily, none of my anticipatory worries came to pass. I had lots of fun, and I'll definitely be back.
This is the most interesting post-BEA post I've read! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz :D
ReplyDeleteGreat BEA post and photos. I love the way that you broke it down in best and worst. Very interesting. I had some other travel commitments this year and had to miss out. Thanks for sharing.
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