SIBA 2010 Trade Show – Part 2
Not wanting to miss out on a minute of the action, Heather and I got up at the crack of dawn on Saturday to attend the Here’s to Morrow Breakfast. When we were invited to sit at author James Swanson’s table, we jumped at the chance and then spent the whole meal geeking out. The featured speakers were:
- Christy Jordan – Christy’s cookbook, Southern Plate is a result of her blog. Christy comes from a long line of poor, but grateful people and her presentation brought tears to everyone’s eyes.
- James Swanson – If someone had told me last week that I’d be interested in a book about Jefferson Davis, I wouldn’t have believed them, but after hearing about Bloody Crimes, I can’t wait to read it.
- Robert Barclay – Robert’s first book, If Wishes Were Horses comes out in January. I’m sorry to say that someone (not a blogger, thankfully) in the crowd was disrespectful toward Robert – he handled the whole situation admirably and acquired many fans in the process.
Kathy, Stacy, Heather and Natalie
After breakfast, the exhibits opened and Heather and I got to meet Natalie from Coffee and a Book Chick and Stacy from A Novel Source. Both ladies were as sweet and kind as we expected. As we worked the show floor, we ran into a new to us blogger – Bernadette of Black Book Blog. After a few hours of walking the show floor, we were happy for the break that lunch gave us. The featured speakers at the Saturday New Books Lunch were:
- Patti Callahan Henry – Patti’s new book is called The Perfect Love Song and it sounds like it will make a great holiday read.
- Brock Clarke – Brock told us about the inspiration for his new book, Exley and also about the publicity campaign that went wrong for his last book, An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Homes in New England.
- Glenn Plaskin – Glenn had the whole room in tears with his book trailer for Katie Up & Down the Hall.
We worked the show floor a little while longer and then decided to take a break and wait for Sandy of You’ve GOTTA Read This! to arrive. When she did, Heather, Sandy and I joined Natalie and her sweet husband, Jason, in the bar for a drink. Let me tell you, he is one good sport – he sat there and listened to four women gab about books and blogging without complaint and even snapped a few photos for us.
Natalie, Sandy, Heather and Kathy
Natalie and Jason had to head home to tend to their dog, so Sandy, Heather and I headed out for dinner and ran into Rebecca and some authors and visited with them for a little while.
Back row, left to right: Sandy, Kathy, Susan Gregg Gilmore, Heather, Jim Minick Front row, left to right: Lisa Patton, Rebecca
We headed back to the trade show floor again Sunday morning. After an hour or so, I was ready to pack up my bag and check out of my room. Heather volunteered to help me and when she sat on the corner of the bed in my room, the frame broke and sent her sprawling. When I reported it to the front desk, they said that was the second time it had happened over the weekend. Heather and I related the story to Erin of Hub City Books and she told us she had been locked in her bathroom for an hour and finally managed to get out using an earring and dental floss – we called her MacGyver for the rest of the day.
The closing event of SIBA is the Moveable Feast, and what a great event it is! We sat at assigned tables and authors moved around from table to table – I had to leave a little early, but I got to visit with the following authors:
- Michael Knight – I’m really excited about Michael’s new book The Typist – it’s about an Alabama boy who serves as a typist in Japan after World War II.
- Jasmin Darznik – As an adult, Jasmin found out that her mother had been married at 13, had a baby and then divorced at 14. In order to get the divorce, she had to agree to never see her child again. Jasmin has written a memoir, The Good Daughter, that I can’t wait to read.
- Lou Dischler -Lou is a local author for me. He wrote My Only Sunshine and is just hilarious. He told us the picture on the cover of the book is of him as a child.
- Sharyn McCrumb – I LOVED Sharyn – after all, we talked Hokie football. Her new book, The Devil Amongst the Lawyers sounds amazing, and I’m looking forward to reading it.
- Jim Minick – Jim has written a memoir, The Blueberry Years, about the blueberry farm he and his wife started. I had the chance to speak with him several times over the weekend and found him quite delightful.
I snuck out early, only to find that my flight to Atlanta was delayed. I missed my original flight home (it turned out to be canceled anyway) and had 15 minutes to sprint from Concourse A to Concourse D of the Atlanta airport carrying a bag stuffed full of books. I made it, but my suitcase did not. It got here on Monday, though, so all is good.
I hope I didn’t bore you with this long post, but couldn’t help myself since SIBA 2010 was loads of fun – I can’t wait to attend the show in Charleston, SC next year.
Other tidbits from the show:
- Heather and I rode up the elevator with Karen White and gushed over her appropriately. She’s always such a pleasure to chat with.
- We had dinner with Marybeth Whalen and Beth Webb Hart one evening and had the opportunity to chat with Marybeth on the trade show floor. We found both authors to be delightful.
- Ten Random House Children’s Books sales reps have started a great new blog called Random Acts of Reading. Believe me when I say you want to check it out.
- Penguin is publishing a new YA book, Across the Universe by Beth Revis, with a reversible dust jacket – one side is aimed at girls and the other is aimed at boys.
- Ellen Brown, the co-author of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind is fascinating. She is passionate about Gone With the Wind!
Excellent recap! I’m curious, because when Lou was at our table, he told us the photo on the cover of his book was just some stock photo! Or did I dream that? Heather help me out!
Sounds like such a great time! How I wish I lived closer and could attend as well.
It osunds like you all had loads of fun. Hmmmm Charleston in September – I think I can pencil that in next year
Enjoyed reading your post! It must be so much fun to meet up with authors as well as fellow bookbloggers!
Great stories! I can’t believe the bit about the bed frame! That must have been “exciting,” to say the least! I didn’t know about The Blueberry Years – I’ve just got to read that one! Thanks for all the great info as usual!
I think Lou was kidding about it being him in the photo, Sandy. He made mention of alligator wrestling being something that is just not done. We responded that it is done in Florida!
Kathy, I loved your post! You got everything in there, including the embarrassing bed incident! I also loved how Erin finally got out of that bathroom, and think that she is just such a rock star!
My kids fought over Across the Universe when I got home, and I tried to explain about the cool dual cover concept to my son, but he was just like “ehh, just give me the book, mom”. I am so looking forward to reading that one!
I’m going to a Book Your Lunch event for Lou in November and will have to get him to set the record straight about the cover of his book. I’m beginning to think he’s a better storyteller than I initially thought!
Really sounds like it was a ton of fun!!
The things that stuck with me here were: I would have been TERRIFIED if I was stuck in the bathroom for an hour!!! I don’t know what I would have done, lol!!
and the other thing: Margaret Mitchell had a co-author for Gone with the Wind???
The book I was referring to is MARGARET MITCHELL’S GONE WITH THE WIND: A BESTSELLER’S ODYSSEY FROM ATLANTA TO HOLLYWOOD. It’s written by Ellen F. Brown and John Wiley, Jr.
More adventure than a typical book event should have! and you had issues trying to get from from BEA, didn’t you?! poor thing.
The Moveable Feast sounds like an awesome idea.
Kathy,
so funny about the bed. It happening to me at the same hotel on that Wednesday night — I was the “first time.” I moved out on Thursday to the Hilton — less expensive, clean, up-scale, and they treated us like queens. sorry about Erin — I would have freaked out. can’t wait for Charleston, either. great post!
You’re going to love The Devil Amongst the Lawyers, Kathy. Guess I would still be stuck in that bathroom – I don’t wear earrings!
I enjoyed An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Homes in New England. Sorry to hear of the author’s publicity woes…otherwise sounds like a grand time was had by all. You certainly look happy! Moveable Feast sounds like speed dating with authors–cool. Thanks so much for sharing this. Will definitely check out the RH blog…
The Moveable Feast event is a great idea…and I love the name!
I couldn’t help but chuckle to the hotel incidents. Erin used an earring and dental floss? I want to know how she did it! It surely doesn’t sound like a good hotel to stay in.
And no, your post is definitely not boring. =)
Glad to see you had such a wonderful time!
You didn’t bore me at all! Just made me even more jealous of all the terrific authors you got to meet!
Wow, it sounds like you got to meet so many wonderful people at this event!
Until I started discovering all kinds of wonderful book blogs, especially yours, I had absolutely NO idea that events like this even existed. I’ve been an avid reader for years and knew nothing beyond the local library and it was a big deal when the big Barnes & Noble was built in Madison and replaced the small-ish Waldenbooks. ONE Day, I will have a blog and ONE DAY I hope to attend one of these shows and find MY PEOPLE!! LOL
I am so glad you had such a wonderful time and included pictures! I will not get a chance to attend a conference anytime in the near future *sob* so I shall live vicariously from those who do. My TBR list grew just from this post.
Wow, you certainly had a blast. Loved the pics and the recap, Kathy!
I loved all of your stories about this trade show…and I really envy missing the Moveable Feast…that would be so much fun…
It sounds like such a wonderful time. I can’t wait to enjoy my first event like this one where I can listen to authors, learn about new books, and meet fellow book bloggers. Thanks for sharing all of the photos too!
I wish Montreal had these events…I heard about Word on the Street in Toronto but I found out too late. I will have to try and attend next year. Sounds like you had a great time.
Wow, sounds like you had an excellent time! I wish I would have known about this in advance, as I found out about it the day before (guess I don’t pay a lot of attention to blogs, huh?) and probably could have driven to Daytona if I’d had a month or so notice. Oh well, next time.
Also, I detest the Atlanta airport. WORST airport ever for layovers! Glad to know you made it in time for yours.
This post is just chock full of info, tidbits and fun stories. (I think the hotel might need to update their beds if they are all falling apart!)
It’s great to see the faces behind the blogs I most adore. What a wonderful-sounding event!
wow, wow! You were in the elevator with Karen White. Wow.
Well I think I would like it if Michelle Moran, Sarah Dessen, Charlaine Harris – where some of the people I could be in the elevator with…of wait I forgot Susan Higginbotham
I am so glad you had a great time, I am so envious of you guys
Thank you so much for sharing your experience – in both the posts! I wish I could have made it, sigh! But looks like you all had a fun experience!
I looks like you had a great time! You must have been completely exhausted after all of that.
awesome recap, you had an amazing time. Thanks for the pictures
Wow! That looks so much fun!
Bore me with this post?! Kathy ,you are so sweet & funny! I couldn’t read this post fast enough I was so excited by everything you had the opportunity to experience and all the great authors & bloggers you met! But I had to read pretty slow to be sure I didn’t miss anything. lolol
I’m glad you had such a great time. I wondered what events such as this one were like and now I have a better idea. I’m definitely going to get me to the next Book Fairs etc. up this way.
It’s awesome you had such a great time!
~ Amy
Glenn Paskin is the nicest guy. Met him at SIBA too. He named his dog Katie after the astounding actress, and his friend, Kathrine Hepburn.
James Swanson’s Manhunt is one of my all-time favorite books. When I saw his next book coming out, I glanced but thought nothing could compare to the first and wanted to leave it at that. Now you have me very curious. I can’t wait to read your review!
Makes me happy reading this post and very, very jealous too. Haha! I wish I was there. I so want to meet with you and Sandy. No, your long post didn’t bore me at all. Jason sounds like a very nice guy too. I’ve got THE TYPIST in my Kindle now and CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER had just been delivered to my Kindle, too, because that edition has just been released.
How can you top that??? What a fantastic experience
What a great time you had!
I so enjoyed meeting you at SIBA! And I agree, the Moveable Feast was simply incredible! And Ellen Brown was so charming. You should come to her book launch next year with me!
I loved this whole post, but my mind keeps coming back to getting out of a locked bathroom with an earring and dental floss. I’m pretty sure I would not have been as resourceful!
Oh, what fun! “gushing appropriately” and “geeking out” are fantastic ways to spend a weekend.
I’m still shaking my head at the bathroom escape using an earring and dental floss – what a story.
Thanks for sharing your SIBA experience and all the pics, Kathy.
What an amazing time! Love the story about Erin and her feats of MacGyver to escape her little locked in moment.
I loved reading every little morsel and felt part of your escapade at SIBA. Can’t wait to meet up at BEA 2011 in NY with Mrs Q.
I ***must*** find a way to attend this fantastic event.