[First, a note to self: Don't come up with any more crazy ideas about trying to do a book fair AND do something else - like, oh I don't know, post pictures and updates from the fair. Not a good idea. You will have neither the time nor the energy.]Last weekend's Santa Monica Book Fair has me - and many other dealers - thinking about the future of smaller regional fairs. The event itself was well-run and organized, and with over eighty dealers exhibiting from around the country was a sell-out. From that angle, the show was a success.Among the...
Live, from the Santa Monica Book Fair!
I leave tomorrow for the Santa Monica Book Fair where I'll be exhibiting (Booth 712a) and thought I would try something a little different.Through the wonders of modern technology (read: my iPhone), I'll be posting nearly-live updates from the fair - from set-up to break-down and everything in between, maybe even a few from the road - via both Flickr and Twitter. If you'd like to follow along, here are the links:The Santa Monica Book Fair - A Flickr Set (also available in RSS flavor)Me on Twitter (or RSS)Booth shots, interesting books, behind-the-scenes info...The next best thing to being there....
Bookselling and the Democratic Convention
For a week supposedly devoted to politics, a fair amount of book news has been scattered throughout the coverage of The Democratic National Convention currently taking place in Denver. First, before the convention even got underway, booksellers around the country were up in arms about publisher Chelsea Green's decision to offer their book "Obama's Challenge" to convention-goers via a discount coupon for a copy printed by Amazon's POD service Booksurge. Next came word of Bush/McCain Tijuana Bibles available in Denver; several booksellers quickly expressed their desire to obtain copies. And most recently, it's been nice to see my old employer...
Q: How do you eat a whale?
A: One byte at a time.Twittering Moby Dick.
Where do you get these books?
In my shop, this is easily one of the questions I am asked most frequently. Luckily, Nigel Burwood of Bookride has of late been explaining, in an excellent series of posts, just exactly where he and other dealers traditionally procure stock. Informative for both outsiders and current booksellers alike, with lots of stories from the trade thrown in for good measure:Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.