Guide to BookExpo America: car buffs have the auto show. Book lovers have BookExpo America.

BEA, as BookExpo America is usually referred to, is an annual trade show, publishing rights forum and industry conference that showcases the $25 billion book publishing industry. Formerly known as the American Booksellers Association Convention and Trade Exhibit, the BEA conference is not open to the general public. However, book lovers will likely see the results of the negotiating at the convention in their local bookstores and libraries. More than 20,000 booksellers, publishers, authors, agents, librarians, critics and other industry professionals are expected to attend.

This year, the 101st BookExpo America will be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City from May 1 to 5. Educational programs and the International Rights Center will be held at the same time, and the exhibition halls will be open from May 3 through 5, for all non-industry BEA attendees.

Over the course of the five-day event--which runs from Wednesday through Sunday --there are over 100,000 square feet of space brimming with books: Hardbound books, paperbacks, books-on-tape and CDs, e-books, magazines about books, and merchandise including everything from bookmarks to bookshelves are all on display. According to Chicago Sun-Times writer Mike Thomas, who attended last year's convention held in the Windy City, it is "the biggest, baddest literary orgy in the English-speaking world."

Hyperbole? Perhaps. But author Alice Wootson, who attended her first BEA last year, says that while the conference gave her greater insight into the industry as a whole, she found "the sheer size of it almost overwhelming." But she adds, "I found it energizing. I went home ready to get back to work."

Emma Rodgers, of Black Images Book Bazaar in Dallas, Texas, has attended BEA service the late 1970s. Rodgers has devised a system for making the most of her time. She advises booksellers to prepare ahead of time before they visit the exhibit area.

"Take 3 x 5 cards and go through the program to see where everybody is that you need to see," she suggests. "Go through the program and organize your visit by sections to make the most of your time. That way you aren't wandering up and down aisles, criss-crossing or backtracking to see the people and things you need to see.

"If you have trade reps from the major houses calling on you, don't go to those publishers' booths," says Rodgers. "However, you should make a point of visiting the small press area where you'll find self-published authors and those not represented by a major house. Go to the sideline areas to find items like calendars and other merchandise to complement your business," she says.

Rodgers warns attendees not to get bogged down with the volume of giveaways at BEA. After 9/11, airports and overall security have increased, and shipping costs have escalated as well. "Don't stock up on a lot of stuff you'll have to pay freight for," she advises. "Be selective about what you pick up."

Come away with more than a bunch of galleys

Manie Barron, a literary agent at the William Morris Agency agrees."One thing that publishers hate is the `Pac-Man' mentality that surrounds readers editions and galleys," he says, referring to new releases, which are often distributed during BEA. "Readers' editions and galleys are expensive--more expensive than a hardcover book--and collectors should note they're worth more than first editions. They are for booksellers. Don't grab every one you see," says Barron. "Pick and choose, then ask someone in the booth if you can have a copy."

Barron says for authors, "the most important thing is to walk the show floor and see what's out there." Despite cutbacks by publishers, writers should try to get catalogs from each house to see what is being published now and on fall lists.

Authors, particularly self-published authors, should be aware that the publishing people staffing the booths are not editors. "You will very rarely find editors attending these shows," says Barron. "The people in the booths are from sales, marketing and publicity. They can't do anything with your book, so don't give it to them. They are only going to throw it away after you leave."

Learn while you network

BookExpo has an educational component with dozens of industry-related workshops. Rodgers advises booksellers to attend workshops and roundtable discussions that are important to their personal and business goals. "As an independent bookseller if your strong suit is romance or mystery, make sure you attend events that focus on those areas."

Author Francis Ray says writers who come to the event "should be prepared to network like never before. They should have a specific number of new booksellers they want to meet and add to their database.

"Don't let any bookseller walk away without exchanging business cards or giving them printed material about your books," says Ray. "However, remember that booksellers receive a tremendous amount of printed material by the end of BEA, so to ensure that your information goes in their luggage and not the trash, please KISS-- `Keep it simple, Simon!'"

Like Rodgers, Ray also emphasizes organization. "Have your [business] card handy so you won't have to fumble. I stick mine in the back of my badge holder," she says. "Jot a quick one or two words on the back of their card, so you'll remember which card went to whom," says Ray. "Remember your manners, always smile, make eye contact, be courteous, and have your eyes peeled for the next badge that says `bookseller.' By the way, don't forget librarians. They order a lot of books."

Black book events at BEA

The African-American Booksellers Conference (AABC) is generally held on Thursday, and this year is no exception. Booksellers meet to discuss issues relevant to African Americans in the industry. Attorney and author Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. will give the keynote address. This year's AABC program will focus on strategies for successful bookselling, black bookstores and university presses. (For a complete schedule, see the BEA Event Highlights box.)

The AABC offers "a fantastic opportunity to meet so many booksellers in one place who sell my books," says Ray. "It's a well-known fact that people respond more warmly to people they've met. Booksellers are no different. They'll remember you when it's time to order or when a customer asks about your book," she says. "Perhaps when asked to recommend a book, hopefully they'll think of you as a wonderful person, as well as a wonderful writer. Don't forget to thank them for carrying your book, and if they don't carry it, keep smiling and ask them nicely to consider your title."

Rodgers says BEA and the AABC give new booksellers a chance to meet their peers in the industry and to establish a national network of booksellers with whom they can exchange ideas. New booksellers can also look forward to meeting authors, publishers, publicists and others in the industry. These meetings open lines of communication that will last many years.

Rodgers met Ebony magazine senior editor Lerone Bennett who, in turn, introduced her to his colleague Basil Phillips. Phillips suggested she attend her first American Booksellers Association Convention--the former BEA convention designation--in 1978, in Los Angeles. "Since that time, I have been to many conferences," says Rodgers. "I am still mentored by Basil Phillips of Johnson Publishing Company. Over the years, Mr. Phillips has offered helpful suggestions, sent news articles that I need to read to help me stay abreast of current trends, and made courtesy introductions.

"You never know where you'll make an important contact, so take plenty of business cards. You may meet someone on a bus, an elevator or in a hotel lobby. You can make a contact to help you out with your business. You may get an author in your store. Take a small notebook of events, notebook, pictures, newspaper articles and programs you've had in your store. You may only have three minutes to make a deal and you'll have something to show," she says.

"Publishing is all about relationships, don't let anyone tell you otherwise," says Barron, who has worked in various publishing positions before becoming a literary agent. He advises the publishing industry professionals to spend a little time outside their booths. "Walk the floor, see what everyone is doing and get catalogs.

"Look to see if anyone is coming out with a book similar to yours. You might want to schmooze a rep, a marketer or a publicist from another house. You should have as many contacts in other houses as you can get. These people are invaluable for getting sales information on their titles. Plus, you never know when you're going to want a book they publish."

Jean Dalton is not part of the book industry. She is a New Yorker who has attended several events at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. Hers may be the most valuable bit of advice BEA attendees receive. "The floors of the Javits Center are very, very hard. If you're going to spend a lot of time walking or standing on your feet, be sure to wear your most comfortable shoes. Your feet will thank you."

BIBR welcomes you
to BookExpo

Black Issues Book Review
invites
BookExpo America
attendees to visit BIBR's
"Authors' Lounge,"
on Friday and Saturday,
May 3rd & 4th, and
Sunday, May 5th.

We will be located at the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
in New York City,
in the Exhibition Hall,
Booth 4280.

The hottest authors on the
African-American literary scene
will gather for impromptu rap sessions,
readings, and author signings.

Come meet and mingle
with some of the writers featured
in the May/June 2002 issue of BIBR,
as well as some authors
included in past issues. The writers
participating in BIBR's Book Expo event
represent the African-American literary
community's cultural critics and
those paving the way in new fiction.

Check BIBR's website
(bibookreview.com)
to find out specific authors
being featured in the Authors' Lounge.

The date and times for the
Authors' Lounge are as follow:

May 3rd and 4th -Friday and Saturday,
10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and
May 5th - Sunday, 10a.m. only

Stan Shaw believes that in order to create the best illustrations, he must first do research. For this issue, Shaw illustrated the feature "Literary Checkmate" beginning on page 46, and `The Guide to BookExpo" on page 71. His illustrations have also appeared in Vibe, The Village Voice, Esquire, Harcourt Brace and Dark Horse Comics. Shaw teaches at Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, Washington. He can be reached at [e-mail].