BEA Book Expo

I have just had two excellent days of  meeting enthusiastic, interesting people and being handed free books. Or catalogs of books. Tons and tons of interesting books to read and blog about. All for me! Everything from cookbooks to forensic crime novels! and YA!  And it isn't even my birthday. Oh wait, it just was, on Tuesday. Which is why I only went for two days of the Book Expo. (Birthday celebrations demanded that I concentrate on frolicking with friends, Greek food, tacos and beer.)

For next year- must remember to get there earlier, and bring more business cards! Though by the end, everyone was out of cards. I didn't get there today in time to meet James Howe, author of Bunnicula, a childhood favorite.

I should also have a pithier answer to "what do you like to read?" Ummm.... YA, history, historical fiction, foodie lit, cookbooks, memoir, narrative nonfiction, fiction, short stories, essays...pretty much everything but:

• straight up chick lit (will attempt chick lit that's also topical, like foodie, or mystery, or running a restaurant or something)


• police procedurals, though I make an exception for the more character driven ones. Oh Laurie R. King, when will you write another Kate Martinelli. But I digress.


• really dry, densely written history/biography. Can't get enough of the narrative kind, or the quirky-upbeat pop history/science minutiae.


• Self Help. I can't help it... reading self help stuff makes me contrary and sarcastic.

Must remember for next year: more business cards, and bring snacks. I kept forgetting to eat! Corollary to the snacks-- must realize that no matter how good my intentions, I'm ordering takeout after book conferences.

I should have asked for bookshelves as a birthday present.

I wonder if my TBR pile from the two days I went is taller than I am. What fun!