2008 Book EXPO in LA

I attended the BEA in LA recently to help a friend promote his book, Spirit Matters. Here's what I learned:

The BEA-Book Expo America- matters.

This was my third BEA. I was there helping out my pal, Matt Pallamary, www.mattpallamary.com. promote his newest, a memoir titled Spirit Matters. http://www.mysticinkpublishing.com. 

Up until this visit, I thought the BEA was for authors in the stream of commerce: writers with books to sell.

Not so.

Any writer who really believes s/he will publish should attend at least one BEA. I liken it to labor: unless you go through it, you have no idea. The BEA is daunting and damn informative-talk about on the job training. BEA attendees are all on the same page-networking-that’s why you go.

I met several writers from SCWC ,www.writersconference.com, writers without books to sell; writers who told me they made the $160.00 investment (cost of ticket) to get an overview of the industry.

These are smart writers.

Matt Pallamary--also teaching at www.sbwritersconference.com & www.writersconference.com--made the investment of time and money; renting BEA booth space is NOT cheap. With no guarantee of a payoff, this author made the investment that garnered lots of contacts—from overseas printers & distributors to magazines that publish stories related to his subject matter to radio shows looking for Spirit Matters kind of books to one UK agent looking for authors to audition for a reality based TV show.

He was ready--Matt has been around long enough to know what it takes to sell-- BTW, anyone interested in a website that serves an author well should check out Matt’s www.mattpallamary.com--outstanding design and easy to maneuver.

Next year’s BEA is held in NYC. 2010 BEA will be in Las Vegas. Authors-in-the-making, keep www.bookexpoamerica.com on your radar.

Posted by Marla Miller