Let the #CookBookTrials Begin ...

New year, new blog post series. Last year was #ArtistTherapy, which I thoroughly enjoyed scribing. But, this year, I realized upon looking at my overflowing bookcases that I have a lot of books (yes) but also many cookbooks. Cookbooks I've been gifted as a food blogger, purchased, and/or sent for review. I have previously done posts/giveaways for Herbivoracious and Easy Chinese Food Recipes. Now though, I want to actually take the time to make the recipes from the cookbooks lining my shelves to discover new go-to recipes that I will hopefully fall in love with.

So, starting in February I will pick one cookbook I have that I have rarely, if ever, used and try several recipes. I will report back to you on them and more than likely post successes/failures on Instagram as well. At the end of each month (or very beginning of the next) I will note how progress went and the ease of use (good for people on the go or many lengthy recipes). And in terms of some cookbooks they may have a theme like Ellie Krieger's Comfort Food Fix (a healthy spin on comfort food) or the Mom's 100 Meals.

So that's the challenge I've made for myself this year. And I look forward to letting you know how that goes.

#NYCBakeSale 2014: Back at Brooklyn Flea

This counts as the one month (or specifically the 29 day) mark before the NYC Bake Sale strikes again! In previous posts from 2013 and 2012 I have volunteered and baked desserts. While I may not be baking this time around I will definitely be behind the scenes helping and this blog post is just one way of advertising. The NYC Bake Sale, and other bake sales around the nation, make sure all proceeds go to No Kid Hungry's campaign to end child hunger in America. Last year NYC's bake sale raised over $4,500 for this mission and we hope to raise that much more in 2014.

Food bloggers and culinary professionals are donating freshly baked goods that will include gluten-free and vegan items as well as lactose-filled deliciousness. The spread will be amazing and remember all monies raised go to a great cause.

You can visit the NYC Bake Sale's Tumblr site for updates on raffle prizes (win Le Creuset cookware or cookbooks from King Arthur flour!) and on who will be donating goodies. The bake sale will run from 10am to 5pm on May 3rd or whenever we sell out.

If you want to be part of the Twitter discussion and further publicize the event please use the hashtag #NYCBakeSale. You can also get updates and show support by attending via the Facebook event page.

Hope to see you there in May!

Book Expo 2012: Lots to Celebrate (and Learn)

Last week the largest book convention for those of us in the book industry reared it's head again in midtown Manhattan. Book Expo of America (BEA) was held in conjunction with the newly purchased BEA (formerly Book) Blogger Convention, IDPF, and Blog & New Media Expo. And New York City will be the home of BEA up until 2015, which makes me particularly happy as it's been housed at Javits steadily since 2008 after it used to rotate locations between Los Angeles and Chicago. This year BEA focused on different ways of thinking. Publishers connecting with consumers directly and cutting out the middle man. Sessions have steadily been geared towards how to utilize social media to its highest potential and how to make books (particularly young adult and middle grade titles) that much more exciting and interactive for the end user.

Many articles in the media have touted Amazon as an enemy for publishers with low-cost products and small returns. Becoming the Walmart of the book world Amazon has it's own self-publishing imprint (CreateSpace), has launched it's own publishing sector, and is still one of the first places consumers go to purchase books at a deeply discounted rate with free shipping and many other goods available from clothes to music to appliances and various technology. And Amazon continues it's growth in the publication industry with the purchase of Avalon Books which specialized in romance and mystery titles.

In a market that is slowly on the uptick publishers are trying new ways and harder than ever to connect with consumers directly. Book Expo allows them this opportunity but many times it is press/media and booksellers that get more of the publishers attention. Book bloggers have been indelible in spreading the word about little known books becoming the next big thing. A prime example of this is The Hunger Games which is a true word-of-mouth success from book 1 to the final book Mockingjay released in 2010. As is there was a huge blow up in the media blogger realm when numerous book bloggers and other forms of press were denied press credentials months after registering for BEA. To Reed Exhibitions credit they reneged on the subsequent denials noting their mishap in cancelling registration for bloggers who had registered in January and February and not informing them until the day before Good Friday (when much Reed staff was already out of the office.) Next year I'm sure whatever stringent guidelines that make press press will be clearly outlined early on and handled much more swiftly post-registration. But this sent flurries throughout the blogosphere noting how important bloggers can be to publishers and how important they are to spreading the word about books many may not be aware of and providing a hardcore fan base for authors of various genres, particularly in the young adult (YA) market.

BEA Buzz Panels for both YA and Adult books were huge draws for bloggers, booksellers, and fans alike giving attendees the inside track on what publishers are noting as their big debuts for the year. This included Kat Zhang's YA paranormal book What's Left of Me from HarperTeen and Shani Bioanjiu's The People of Forever Are Not Afraid from Hogarth (a division of Crown Publishers). Bioanjiu was also a National Book Award 5 Under 35 Honoree this year. But debuts weren't the only things lauded at Book Expo of America, prize winning authors like Junot Diaz, Mark Helprin, and Tracy K. Smith were on-hand for autographing. Pulitzer Prize winner Diaz spent hours with fans lined up to read an excerpt from his new collection from Riverhead (an imprint of Penguin) This Is How You Lose Her. He even said it was great to meet readers. "I'm like thank God," he said. The realization of meeting those who enjoy your work can be refreshing. Dennis Lehane (Live By Night) from William Morrow (HarperCollins) and native New Yorker Victor LaValle (The Devil in Silver) from Penguin they were appreciative of those lined up to meet them and of the compliments received and were happy to promote new work.

Book clubs are another big score for publishers and this year a speed dating event was held on Wednesday by The Book Report Network where leaders and members of book clubs could meet with publishers and hear about upcoming titles (in hardcover & paperback) they think would fit with book clubs. In meeting Erin Morgenstern for a signing of the paperback version of The Night Circus she had said that she thinks her book is great for book clubs. Being "fun" to discuss. Her editor was also quick to note that during Erin's tour they would be happy to speak more with those interested in doing Night Circus for book club discussions. Not only was Morgenstern there promoting the paperback version of her book but so was National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward for Salvage the Bones also in paperback. My book club is fond of books in this format and it is often when reprinted in PB that publishers add book club guides to the back to promote discussion. Book clubs can generate great sales especially if they meet regularly and have a dozen or more members. Many of the members of my book club have turned to digital means and so have a friend of mine with me being one of the few still pursuing the printed text. But the printed text still has a great ways to go before being eliminated and so publishers are aching for book clubs to "adopt" their titles.

And there were numerous celebrations! The arrival of Book Expo of America also initiates NY Book Week with lots of parties going on around NYC hosted by bookstores, publishers, authors, and bloggers. But within the realm of Javits Center there many anniversaries to be celebrated from Little, Brown's 175th to The New Press' 20th to Scholastic's Clifford the Big Red Dog turning 50 to Sourcebooks celebrating the quarter century mark. Russia served as the guest of honor at Book Expo this year and had a huge section devoted to "Read Russia" where champagne in crystal flutes was on-hand to celebrate new and established authors from their homeland introducing them to an international audience. Taunton Press had signings by cookbook author (and local foodie) Abby Dodge offering great samples of her orange sesame cookies. Tuttle Publishing had daily samples of desserts from Sushi Secrets and gluten-free items. HarperCollins had beer and cupcakes, Perseus had an open bar and there were wine tastings near the ever winding Starbuck's line and check in downstairs.

Discussions on Uptown and Downtown stages ranged from the Bellwether prize where winners Heidi Durrow and Hillary Jordan sat with veteran author and Bellwether judge Barbara Kingsolver to the always advancing digital age in publishing to applications that can help sell your ebook. Scholastic was heavily promoting their new series Infinity Ring that is both a print book and available as a game, readers can choose either (or both) formats to enter the world of this new middle grade series, each book written by a different author. The author breakfast and lunches welcomed (back) Stephen Colbert, Junot Diaz, Barbara Kingsolver, Zadie Smith, Chris Colfer, Lois Lowry, Michael Chabon and John Green to name a few.

And while in years past Book Expo of America had been slim in pickings there was much available to take in and take home. BEA is an avid reader's playland and a future writer's inspiration. Meeting authors, publishers, agents, bloggers, and booksellers immersed in the same love is a great way to be reinvigorated and well informed. BEA provides a way to connect all facets of the industry to learn more about what is working, what isn't, and what the larger masses want in terms of upcoming titles and their platforms. Next year I imagine much of the conversations will be the same discussing the success of some strategies and the complications of others, but it's good to know that those within the industry seek to change the way literature is provided and taken in and that there's always a format for everyone. After all books should be celebrated and Book Expo of America is one of the biggest venues to do so.

Book Expo 2011: Come one, come all!

This year's Book Expo of America (BEA) brought back memories for those of us who'd attended years prior.  While last year was truncated both in size and scope and also in terms of what publishers offered, this year sought to improve upon that with many giveaways and choices and even a joint convention with the Book Bloggers Convention at Jacob Javits Center in midtown Manhattan. It wasn't as humid as last year but the sun was in full effect which made for a lovely week for visitors and natives to enjoy this event pre-Memorial Day weekend. Last year some notable trade publishers did not have booths. But this year they came back full force. When talking to one of the publicists with Scholastic she mentioned that a big complaint was that they did not have giveaways last year except for author signings in the autograph area, but this year they had a huge booth in the Children's pavilion and had many giveaways including a new book by Maggie Stiefvater (The Scorpio Races) along with galleys of the last book in her Wolves of Mercy Falls series, Forever, and Wonderstruck a new book from Brian Selznick with a lovely, durable tote to accompany the galley.

Hachette Publishers had many giveaways as did HarperCollins, Macmillan, Random House, Gray Wolf Press, Harlequin, Cleis Press, and Penguin. Authors in high demand and with huge lines included Colson Whitehead, Chuck Palahniuk, Tom Perotta, Ally Condie, Melissa Marr, Rick Riordan, and Scott Westerfeld among many others including celebrities with books out (or due out) like Duff MacGrath, Tyra Banks (yes, Tyra is in the book mix now), Julianne Moore, Diane Keaton, Jane Lynch, Michael Moore, and the list goes on and on again.

Tuesday was a mad house with ARCs (advanced reader copies) everywhere! At 9am sharp the masses tend to divide and conquer and get their hands on items that they hope will keep them from standing on a massive line later on in the day. In speaking with many people on lines that you, inevitably, stand on it's always interesting to talk to attendees about their excitement in meeting established authors or being introduced to new ones that they end up loving. These ARCs do a great job to promote debut authors and familiar ones while entertaining readers to no end with the amount they can get their hands on.

While last year's main "theme" was Books in a Digital World it wasn't the main element in panel discussions as it was last year. This year Book Expo was held in conjunction with the Book Bloggers Expo and BlogWorld in addition to the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) conference. Press who registered for Book Expo were able to get into some of the other events held at Jacob Javits Center that week. There was a section devoted completely to the rise and growing efficiency of digital publishing for books and the many companies offering services in conversion and distribution.

Self-publishing is also on the rise. I conducted an interview with actress and new author Tanya Wright on her new book Butterfly Rising published with CreateSpace (a self-publishing sector of Amazon) and author Maria Murnane (Perfect on Paper), and CreateSpace sr. marketing manager, Aaron Rosenstein, about what CreateSpace offers as a newer face in the self-publishing world and how it really caters to authors giving them back control of their work. Amazon has also grown in the publishing world with their own publishing imprints as their awards to find breakthrough authors has set them on track to publish many beyond those voted on by Amazon members/visitors. Amazon conducted many signings at their publishing booth and had a strong presence at Book Expo via CreateSpace.

The New Title Showcase is where many self-published authors with more familiar services like iUniverse, Xlibris, and AuthorNotes had their books displayed, but sometimes these get lost in the crowd when it comes to being exposed to a new audience. This is where CreateSpace has more pull in its connection to a stronghold in the publishing and book buying world. Especially since they had a booth to display their authors and their titles rather than having their work lumped together on shelves making the choices akin to being in a bookstore for readers. And when you're on a schedule you may not have time to search through New Titles in the hopes that something may catch your eye when there are so many publishers, authors, galleys, and booths vying for your attention on the main floor.

Many of the Author Stages talked about anticipated upcoming books, ebooks, and also conversations with authors about their process and what's next. There were many "buzz panels" where editors talked about upcoming books they were excited about, many of which had galleys available and were being pushed from new YA series to "The American The Kite Runner" and so on.

Wednesday was just as busy but probably a bit more subdued in the fact that many people got key finds on Tuesday. I was able to navigate and got to meet some wonderful authors. Tayari Jones' new book Silver Sparrow came out last Tuesday and she signed copies of the hard cover.

Laini Taylor was around signing ARCs of her new book with Little, Brown Young Readers Daughter of Smoke & Bone where about a thousand copies were available. Tom Perotta signed for more than his designated time and was kind to each and every person in line who patiently awaited his signature on his new look at a world post-Rapture (perfect timing no?), The Leftovers.

Thursday is always the more relaxed day in that many people use this time to recover from standing in lines and carrying hefty totes full of galleys and new titles. There was less of a rush on Thursday and the doors closed at 3pm allowing exhibitors to clean up and pack up and attendees to prepare shipping and perhaps even enjoy the city.

The week of Book Expo in New York also marks New York Book Week and that means...after-parties! On Monday I went to the Teen YA Carnival in SoHo with author Shana Silver and heard a nice discussion with David Levithan, Kody Keplinger, and Torrey Maldonado among others on writing teen angst though this discussion turned more into their background and how that's helped their process in writing for a YA audience. There were some giveaways and a lot of books to get signed by these authors and others including Malinda Lo!

Tuesday's big after-party was in SoHo where many went to the Bookrageous BEA Bash at Lolita Bar where many authors such as Scott Westerfield, Lev Grossman, and Catherynne M. Valente were. There were numerous author talks in the afternoon and evenings and various events not listed in the New York Book Week guide attendees received along with the list of exhibitors, author signings, and coupon book for deals around the city during the week.

On Wednesday my friend Bonnie and I attended the first ever Goodreads Book Club event at Housing Works where Jennifer Egan's Pulitzer Prize winning book, A Visit from the Goon Squad, is the pick. Ms. Egan signed copies of her books and chatted with the audience while we were entertained by teenage band Care Bears on Fire. Good times. (All proceeds from this event go to Housing Works' mission of supporting AIDS research and individuals with AIDS).

Thursday, more events, but Anna and I attended Scholastic's ThisIsTeen event at the Scholastic store where Libba Bray, Meg Cabot, and Maggie Stiefvater briefly spoke on their writing methods and about their new titles. For Ms. Bray Beauty Queens has already gotten a lot of buzz and was recently listed as one of the "must" on Entertainment Weekly's 10 Must List. 

The rapport with the authors was one of camraderie and comedy and it was a pleasure to hear them speak and then engage with them as they signed copies of their books as well as ARCs that may have been made available at Book Expo or to bloggers/press.

By week's end I believe I collected less books than I did last year. And having learned from years past I made sure to have a wheely suitcase along with me to prevent me from having a sore back and shoulders for days. Though, my feet are a whole other story.

I've met many wonderful authors and fellow book lovers/bloggers at Book Expo and am connecting with people more and more via Twitter each day based on our experiences.

For book lovers Book Expo is similar to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory and us being Charlie or one of the other kids having the golden ticket. But I'll go with Charlie cause he was in awe and so appreciative of what he was able to be a part of. As book lovers, book sellers, publishing professionals, authors, publicists, bloggers, and so on we all come together at this huge event to learn more about authors, the book world, and the tomes we love or may grow to love. We post and report and review to share knowledge of what we deem good or bad and no matter what we're constantly entertained by what's out there for us to consume.

Here's looking forward to another Book Expo in New York next year. It'll be the first week of June, which hopefully means more sunny skies and brilliant evenings.