tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10284418.post111821885235608093..comments2008-12-09T20:23:29.478-08:00John Kremerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486115512048790419noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10284418.post-1118357222453233052005-06-09T15:47:00.000-07:002005-06-09T15:47:00.000-07:00Well, there were times on Sunday that I couldn't get through some aisles. While the overall crowd was down, it was still heavily trafficked right up to closing time. There was only a little bit of ripping tape compared to previous years, where after noon, that was all you heard as the placed emptied out in waves. This year, there were still tons of people in the building at 4:00 p.m., with only a few empty booths.<BR/><BR/>Every publisher I talked to was upbeat and positive, with many making more connections in one day than in three days at previous conventions. I actually saw a bookseller writing an order within minutes of the first day opening: That was Harlan Smith of Savvy Traveller bookstore in Chicago.John Kremerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16486115512048790419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10284418.post-1118261426171722252005-06-08T13:10:00.000-07:002005-06-08T13:10:00.000-07:00I wouldn't say BEA was "the best ever," but the mood was certainly better than in recent years.<BR/><BR/>Attendance on the first day (Friday) was huge -- it seemed like all the publishers in New York brought their entire staffs. Saturday and Sunday were more normal -- the extra staff had the weekend off, I guess.<BR/><BR/>Publishers were very upbeat -- sales are up, and it shows in the mood. But there were fewer dogs, cartoon characters, and celebrities in the aisle. By comparison to L.A., the New York BEA was quiet and "all business."<BR/><BR/>PMA's Publishers University just keeps growing. The Ben Franklin Awards included submissions from such "independent" publishers as HarperCollins, Reader's Digest, Sunset, Penguin Audio, Warner Books and Houghton Mifflin. If anything, PMA demonstrates that the true independents, including self-publishers, are getting far better at their craft. The quality of self-published books has increased dramatically as PMA has helped independents get more professional about publishing. PMAU is truly a great program.<BR/><BR/>Finally, even the weather cooperated. New York is Book Heaven, and on a nice day it's Book Bliss!Steve O'Keefehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02941734998444653117noreply@blogger.com