B is for BEA and my trip to NYC. . . Spanking Blogging Challenge #SpankA2Z

I just got back from BEA (BookExpo America) and let me say, it was quite an experience. We went home with more than four bags of new books, from authors I hadn’t heard of. Which is good, it gives me the opportunity to read something I might not have ordinarily had the opportunity to pick up. Publishers were giving books out the way people hand out candy on Halloween. I’ve been to many book events and large scale venues but nothing like BEA. Chicago Comic Con last August was the closest in scale, but there were a few book vendors at that event, instead of everyone with books. Plus at BEA you aren’t allowed to sell books. You have to give them away.

Of the four plus bags of books, I looked at the back cover of each one to decide if it was something I wanted to read and review. I picked up young adult and middle grade books that I’ll be featuring on Write Away Bliss along with adult novels (romance, sci-fi, thriller, etc) which will be reviewed on this blog, Ravyn Rayne.

I had the opportunity to attend BEA because my publisher Blushing Books / LazyDay Publishing had a booth at the event. On Wednesday I took part in a book signing at the autographing booth. I didn’t snap any photographs, but I know one of the girls that works at the publisher did. We had no idea how many people would be lined up, wanting a copy of Aberrant! We brought both Stolen Art and Aberrant to sign and giveaway on Wednesday.

I spent one day at BEA (Wednesday). Thursday was spent at the 9/11 memorial and Friday we took a water taxi to see the Statue of Liberty. It was my first trip to NYC. We stayed in Times Square, which was amazing to see how many people were there every day. I’ve been downtown to Chicago numerous times (I live in the suburbs), but even Magnificent Mile which is known for tourists and its shops, is bare compared to Times Square. There was always a rush of people, every where you turned. You can see some of my NYC pictures on Instagram.

On Saturday, I was back at the booth signing and selling books for BookCon. I was only there a couple of hours before we started our journey home (back to Chicago). Which was another event with the the funnel clouds and torrential downpour!