For some time now, pundits have predicted the decline of the book as pixels
replace ink and screens replace paper.
But the book publishing industry, which filled the cavernous halls of the
DC Convention Center for its annual show-and-tell in mid May, doesn't know
it. Over 25,000 industry professionals and those who wanted to attract
their dollars came to do what they do best: sell books and everything
associated with books.
BookExpo America2006 took over the convention center. Exhibits and booths
spread out over six city blocks in the basement and another four city blocks
on Level Two. Elsewhere major publishers rented large conference rooms and
filled them with small tables so buyers could confer with sellers.
BookSense, the association of independent bookstores,
hosted a VIP lounge, where Hyperion
provided a free lunch to attract browsers to its authors who were
autographing and handing out free books, while the Republic of Tea handed out samples of its tasty brews. There were
also seminars, a booksellers' school, a lobby day, and lots of "meet the ...." breakfasts, lunches and teas.
I spent several hours on each of three days prowling the aisles
without seeing it all. I ODed on free chocolate, was deluged with offers of
free bags, learned to say no to free books, accepted or rejected hundreds of
buttons, baubles, pins, posters, and almost anything cheap that one could
brand with a name or logo. At my first stop,
McGraw-Hill gave me a bright red canvas bag the size of a suitcase and
Purple Box Press a slightly smaller purple one, both of which I could easily have filled every day had my back
permitted it.
BookExpo America does not allow wheels on the floor ("No
carts, luggage on wheels or empty strollers of any kind will be allowed in
the Exhibit Hall or Autographing Area", a
policy which definitely favors the strong over the small. A Utah librarian
told me on day two that she had already shipped seven boxes of free books to
her home institution and expected to ship some more. The shipping service
on Level Two did a brisk business.
The slightest interest showed to a booth often resulted in walking away
with something. Eddie R. Beesley thrust his book Lucky Enough into my hands and Linda Seger just had to give
me Jesus Rode a Donkey: Why Republicans Don't Have the Corner on Christ. Still another author handed me a page proof of
Chapter Eight of his novel. However, it didn't have his name on it and
whatever else he gave me with that crucial piece of information wasn't
attached and can't be identified. As soon as Bob Kalian saw who I was
writing for, he insisted on giving me a copy of The Best Free Things for
Seniors which he wrote and published with his wife, Linda. (Most of the free things are just sources of useful
information, not actual things.).
Although major houses occupied the most space, the sheer variety of
publishers was mind-boggling. Three of my four publishers were there —
McGraw-Hill, Indiana University Press, and iUniverse — reflecting only a
slice of the spectrum. There were also publishers of comic books, left-wing
books, right-wing books, cookbooks, religious books, children's books, audio
books, video books, CDs, maps and pretty much anything else that can be
read.
There were sellers of things associated with books: eyeglasses,
magnifiers, reading lights, printing services, cover designers,
distributors. And the things associated with bookstores: software,
packaging, toys, magazines, newsletters, jewelry, souvenirs. The Authors Guild was there. The National Writers Union was not. "America" included
exhibitors from both continents and numerous Spanish language publishers.
Also present were publishing groups from Thailand, Poland, Lebanon, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, and more that I did not see. I did talk to someone sitting
at a shared booth from Vox Pop, a small coffeehouse and bookstore a few
blocks from my Brooklyn house, without finding out why it was renting space
to be at this event.
The regulars are industry professionals — booksellers, retailers,
librarians and educators — but many authors came on their own searching for
opportunity. Several rented booths, at a cost ranging from $1,000 to
$3,500 for 100 square feet, they told me. One of these was Brian G. Murray,
who came from the UK to promote his self-published fantasy The Death
Trilogy by passing out pencils, pens and promotional
paper. He had typescripts for at least ten other unpublished novels spread
out on his table, wistfully waiting to be discovered and promoted by a major
publisher. Others were promoting their books without renting space. A
couple dressed in frontier garb walked around giving out buttons and flyers
for Nick & Slim, a Colorado children's story. By day two they looked as tired
as I felt, and they were only carrying a basket. Some authors started their
own publishing houses in order to publish their own books (e.g. Purple Box
Press). Others started this way, but expanded to publish other authors as
well (e.g. Gival Press). Sometimes it's easier to earn your way as a publisher than as a writer.
There were plenty of authors around who didn't pay for booths. Big name
authors, little name authors, no name authors, wannabe authors and even
academic authors — full professors were shilling their books just like
Beesley and Seger. Being in DC, the politician authors were out in droves,
sitting at tables signing books and giving them away. Politicians are good
at this, one way in which their experience in selling themselves to voters
can pay off. Unlike the self-publishing and self-promoting authors, the
lines were long for most of those standing in the rows of signing stalls on
Level Two, or sitting at a publisher's booth in the basement.
Ultimately this show was all about promotion. If you've ever gotten a
rejection for a manuscript, or published one only to hear a loud yawn, and
wondered what all the books gracing the bookstore windows have that yours
doesn't have, the answer is ...... marketing.
