BookExpo - Day 3 (Thursday): The Floor Opens!!!

Today the floor - where all the booths and galley drops and authors signings are - was finally opening!!! Because I had gone to bed relatively early the night before with a bad headache, I was up bright and early (really though, this was my usual wake-up time at home!), so rather than relying on the shuttle to get to the Javits Center, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful morning and walk! I stopped by the nearby Starbucks, got my Chai Latte and a yogurt/granola combo and was on my way!!!

I got to the Javits pretty early - it was a little after 8am and the floor wasn't opening until 9, but I checked my little suitcase - that was for carting whatever books I ended up with back to the hotel at the end of the day - and found the Publisher's Weekly Show Daily. I learned my lesson the first year that this is a very valuable tool to read each day - it contains updated signing and galley drop information along with articles about the certain authors and the industry in general. That first year, I just took the magazines, but never looked at them until I got home after the event was over!

As I was walking to get on line, I ran into a fellow blogger, Donna from OnDBookShelf. We got on line together and got a chance to chat while perusing the PW Magazine. She had gotten there early, too, to check that out. Besides getting a chance to hear about and pick up lots of new books and see a lot of authors, I love getting to see the bloggers I talk to virtually in person, like Donna. As we were talking, we realized that Ashley from Nose Graze happened to be sitting in line in front of us - yes we were sitting on the floor while waiting! 

Once the floors opened...it was go time. I was pretty organized with my schedule - it was color-coded! I had a game plan and I knew what I wanted as far as the books I was hoping to get/signings I wanted to go to. I had done my research and knew when most of the books I wanted were being given out either through galley drops or at author signings, but there were a few that I wasn't sure about, so when I first went in, I went to those booths to see if I could find out. 

One thing I noticed right away this year as opposed to the years prior was that the floor was noticeably less crowded and the aisles seemed wider. Even at the table signings in the back, the lines were much quieter. Not that I was complaining...I was liking that it was quiet. 

One of the bloggers I was most looking forward to meeting, besides the group I was with, was Felicia from Geeky Bloggers Book Blog. She was in NYC because she was going to the AUDIES - because she won the Audiobook Blogger of the Year award...YAY Felicia. I was so excited when I heard that she was going to be on the floor at BookExpo. Felicia is the gal who started the #FitReaders group that I participate in and we have been bloggy friends for what seems like forever and were finally, hopefully, going to meet in person! And we did...

The one non-book thing I did was to visit a new booth, 2020 Vision USA. I saw their ad on the BookExpo website and I saw that they carried SunReaders. I wear reading glasses but when I'm outside reading, I don't...which can be a problem. So, before I headed to my vision place and spent $$$ on a pair of SunReaders, I thought I'd see if I could get an inexpensive pair and try them out. 2020Vision USA really caters to wholesale orders, but they did have a few pairs to sell individually and because I knew my prescription, I was able to buy a pair. I've already tried them out - so far, so good...not bad for $20!!!  

The highlight of the day, though, was being invited to have lunch with B.A. Paris - the NYT bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors. The luncheon was held at this little French restaurant called Marseille, and while a bunch of bloggers were invited, only 9 ended up attending. The food was delicious - I had a delicious salad and the Steak Frites and for dessert, Profiteroles! YUMMY!!! 

I happened to sit next to B.A. Paris during lunch, though really with such a small group, it wasn't hard to hear her from anywhere at the table. She is so charming and delightful. I loved being able to chat with her - she is so humble and surprised at how well her first book did. It turns out she writes under a pen name - she didn't even tell her friends she had written a book! How such a nice, kind woman can write such a disturbing book is a mystery to me...and one blogger even asked her about that. 

I am really excited to read her next book, The Breakdown, which we all got a copy of at the luncheon along with a cute tote bag. I haven't read the book yet - I'll be reading it this weekend, and my review should be posted sometime next week. 

After the luncheon, which lasted a bit longer than any of us thought it would, it was back to the Javits Center. I had walked to the restaurant and back - it was such a nice day and I wanted the fresh air knowing I would be cooped up most of the day. Once back, I had a little bit of time before my next event, so I just wandered the floor. I happened by the HarperCollins booth and ran into Adriana Trigiani...I adore her! She had just had her signing for Kiss Carlo, which I missed due to the luncheon. I guess there were still a few copies of her book leftover and she asked me if I had a copy - they were the finished versions - hardcover. I told her I had a galley (unfinished/unedited version) at home and she told me I needed the finished one, so she gave it to me. She's so funny! And the fact that she remembers me year after year is always astonishing! LOVE HER!!!

I also stopped by the BookSparks booth. They had a fun game to play - you spun the wheel and got some type of prize. I ended up with landing on "Blind Date with a BookGram" - I've never had a blind date with a book before...and luckily the book I ended up with is a good fit!

 
At the Harlequin Cocktail Party, which they were hosting to help celebrate the launch of their new imprints, I had a brief meeting with Sarah from Little Bird Publicity. I love Sarah, and her team, Katie and now Claire. Unfortunately, Katie and Claire were not able to attend this year, but Sarah was there and she introduced us (Tamara and I) to Eva Wood, the author of the upcoming book, Something Like Happy, which comes out in September.  

From there, I headed over to the Simon & Schuster booth to say a quick hello to David Brown, who handles the @AtriaMysteryBus twitter handle among other things. Getting to meet in person the publisher/publicists that I email back and forth with and that send me books to read and review on my blog is just so amazing. I love being able to thank them in person and just chat with them about books and ways we can work together to promote the books and authors we all have a passion for. This is why I love attending this event!!!


Boy, this was a busy day...and there was still another full day to go! 
 


. . Stayed tuned for a recap of  Day 4!

* And in case you missed it: 

• Here is the recap of Day 1. 
• Here is the recap of Day 2.