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Book Expo America week is here! For those who are unable to attend BEA in New York City, there is Armchair BEA... so, assuming I keep up, every day this week I'll be posting according to Armchair BEA's agenda.
Today's topic is networking in real life. We were asked to share a real life experience with books, book events, partnerships, etc.
I've been pretty fortunate, I think, with the book events I've been able to attend. I've gotten to know fellow bloggers in the Orlando area (as well as met non-local bloggers as well!) Book events are so fun. They're a great way to get to know other bloggers and to celebrate a love for reading. I've also met some amazing authors. Here is a summary of the book events I've attended/documented over the past few years.
The first actual major book event I think I attended was BEA/BBC in 2010! My husband attended with me and we spent a lot of time with fellow blogger friend, Jennifer, who I had previously "known" through paperbackswap.com and being a games moderator over there.
Then there was the UCF Book Festival last year and this year where I was able to hang out with fellow Orlando bloggers. I won't recap who all those Orlando bloggers are or all the wonderful authors I met because it's all written in those posts, but go check out those posts if you haven't already! We, bloggers, were also able to attend the author reception(s) the night before the festival and ended the festival with a blogger dinner. So fun!
It seems like we rarely have author signings in Orlando, so I have driven over a couple hours south of here to go to the Vero Beach Book Center (usually picking my sister up on the way) to attend author signings there including Kristy Kiernan, Kristin Hannah, and Jen Lancaster. I haven't had any kind of "partnerships" with any indie book stores, but if there were one I'd want to promote or be a part of it would be this one. They're amazing!I'm excited to attend more of these in the future. I had a mishap with trying to attend SIBA (Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance) in Daytona Beach a couple years ago when I was going to try to attend while on call for my then job... I was called in when I was about 10 minutes away! I may try to attend again this year (with my fellow Orlando bloggers) since it's in Naples and turn it into a mini-vaca!
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14 comments:
How fun! There's not a lot of bookish events where I live, so you're extremely lucky! Someday I'm going to go to BEA. I bet it was amazing for you last year!
- Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl
Jen Lancaster!!! Jealous. :-)
Twitter: @LiterallyJen
I was just saying over at Anita's that it is amazing how many of us there really ARE around here! Plus we have a wonderful book event and SIBA is always a road trip away. It has been wonderful meeting everyone. Three years ago I never would have imagined there was such a local blogging community.
You seem to be able to enjoy your bookish real-life to the full! So good. I should go out more - there are often signings that are a town or two away but I'm in the Netherlands and nothing is really very far from home.
Ooo00 Naples! Definitely attend SIBA this year if you can! lol I have only been to Naples once, many years ago but I'll never forget how pretty it was and how nice it seemed.
What a disappointment that you were called in to work when you were 10 mins from SIBA. Gotta luv life, uh?! I hope that doesn't happen this year if you decide to attend SIBA (fingers crossed!)
I haven't met any bloggers or authors yet...I tend to be shy and self-conscious in RL but I'm going to try to do some meeting up in the next year. You've had some wonderful experiences meeting other bloggers and authors which encourages me!
You are so lucky to be so close by to Sandy and Heather! (I'm sure you are lucky to be by the others too, but I don't "know" them so I can't say! LOL)
I don't get to attend too many bookish events since the kids and their out of control schedules keep me hopping, but I love reading about them. LOL.
I also love it when I can recognize some of the folks in the pic!
They don't have many signings in Orlando do they? I wonder why? It's like authors don't like to go south of Atlanta or something. Great pictures.
But wait, they do like Miami?
OMG. You're in Orlando?! I'm in North Florida! I didn't realize there were so many Orlando bloggers. I felt like Florida was a waste land for book bloggers.
I am in Orlando all the stinking time since my company is based there. In fact, I'll be there twice in the next 3 months. I will have to keep tabs on Orlando bookish events. =)
The Flashlight Reader
I'm so jealous of the events you've gotten to go to!! I hope to be able to go to some signing or big event some day *sigh*
My bookish real life story!
Hey girl. I decided to skip next two days of AC BEA. I haven't met one blogger with similar tastes,and I just don't think it's what I expected.
I'll see you later!
I've never gotten to meet another blogger in real life but I hope to do so at some point. I'd love to hang out with you Orlando bloggers!
Aw, that must have been frustrating getting called when you were only ten minutes away. Nice that you were able to go to the other book events though. I'd love to go to BEA someday!
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