More BC At BEA
FROM PUBLISHING
TRENDS (MAY 2005)
BEA's
back and Blackberrys are buzzing as everyone
gears up for yet another three-day extravaganza chock
full of authors, agents, air kisses and an international
invasion. To help you get quadruple booked in all the
right ways, Publishing Trends checked in with
a number of show veterans and got the low down on this
year's book fair behemoth.
The new
BEA show manager Chris McCabe reports that there
are "no major changes" to this year's event, (except
for him, of course), but he's very excited. "Not brand-spanking
new, we're building on things that have been successful
in the past," he said, noting a focus on librarians
and increased international activity.
The Rights
Center will be back on the show floor this year
after its successful debut in Chicago in 2004 - with
over 200 tables up from last year's 140. "It speaks
to increased international activity," McCabe said. "We're
seeing more selling in both directions."
Jürgen
Boos, the new director of the Frankfurt Book
Fair will be hanging out at booth #2225 - the German
collective stand - with 31 other exhibitors. "I am really
looking forward to my first BEA in my new role. I am
very excited to meet our clients and to get their feedback
so that we can further improve our services at the Frankfurt
Book Fair." The annual reception of the Frankfurt Book
Fair in cooperation with Le Bureau International
de l'Édition Française will take place on Friday,
June 3rd at 5 p.m. Boos will be there.
Ornella
Robbiati, Editor-In-Chief of Sonzogno said,
“BEA is not a rights fair, it has been more and more
taken over by LBF.” (But PT notes she
couldn’t stay away!)
In another
exciting staying-the-same-only-better development, McCabe
also notes that the successful editorial Buzz Forum
will be back again this year. There will also be a panel,
designed to highlight two or three hot-button contractual
issues - libel, decency (could be smut, homosexuality,
gay marriage), payout schedules, and the like - lawyers
Ellis Levine and J. Stephen Sheppard,
of the firm of Cowan DeBaets Abrahams and Sheppard,
will join with literary agent Michael Carlisle
of InkWell Management and S&S Publisher
David Rosenthal in inventing a non-fiction book
and conducting a mock-negotiation.
As usual
a 1000 plus authors will be in attendance, with 700
signing copies of their latest works.
In addition,
"We have another BC as our opening night act," says
McCabe, "last year it was Bill Clinton, of course,
and this year it's Billy Crystal." And the Saturday
night benefit adds yet another Bill to the mix with
Bill Maher hosting Real Time at the Town
Hall.
The one
addition that is "spanking new" this year is The
New Title Showcase which will allow everyone from
existing exhibitors to small independent publishers
the chance to buy shelf space to display their newest
releases at the entrance. Space is limited, but McCabe
adds that they can always squeeze in more, so if you
haven't signed up yet, do so immediately.
But enough
about Javits happenings, where are the parties?
On Thursday, S&S is throwing a party for Gigi Levangie
Grazer, author of The Starter Wife at Soho
House, but Friday, June 3 seems to be party day,
with Broadway throwing a party for Mark Bittmar,
Houghton’s children’s paperback imprint Graphia
is hosting a party at Amuse to celebrate its
books, and a 1745 Broadway shindig for Random
authors is in the works. Henry Holt will be celebrating
the 10th anniversary of Metropolitan Books sometime
during the weekend, and Harcourt is hosting a
luncheon for Umberto Eco.
Only in
New York, kids. Only in New York.
©2005
Publishing Trends
