BookExpo

Last week, BookExpo America (BEA) and Publishers Lunch launched BEA Marketplace, an online resource designed to facilitate communication and enhance the face-to-face contact between convention attendees and exhibitors. BEA Marketplace allows exhibitors to post comprehensive and searchable information about all their convention activities, promotions, personnel, and more, and it is updatable any time prior to, or during, the show. Convention attendees can use BEA Marketplace as a convenient way to plan their show experience.

On Saturday, May 31, at BookExpo America (BEA) in Los Angeles, ABA will be offering a full plate of Specialty Bookseller-to-Bookseller Roundtables, giving specialty booksellers an excellent opportunity to get together with their colleagues and chat about their specific niche market. ABA will conduct 12 different specialty roundtables designed for booksellers who are predominantly engaged in selling books in specialty areas; roundtable sessions are not intended for general stores with specialty sections.

The American Booksellers Association has announced the lineup for the 2003 Book Sense Reading Room, to be held at BookExpo America on Saturday, May 31, from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., in the Los Angeles Convention Center theater. The popular annual event -- a bookseller favorite -- features four outstanding writers reading in a relaxed, intimate setting. In the past, such authors as Paul Auster, Raymond Carver, Kate DiCamillo, Richard Ford, Michael Malone, Alice McDermott, and Ann Patchett have appeared at the Reading Room.

Booksellers with an interest in hearing about the newest offerings from publishers of African American, children's, and Latin American/Latino books will have the opportunity at Book Buzz Workshops at BookExpo America on Thursday, May 29, in Los Angeles. The workshops, new this year, are similar in concept to BEA's popular Editor and Bookseller Buzz Forum.

As part of its extensive educational programming at BookExpo America (BEA), ABA is sponsoring a three-day booksellers school, facilitated by Donna Paz and Mark Kaufman of Paz & Associates. The school program is designed to enhance the skills of anyone thinking about opening or buying a bookstore, as well as those of booksellers who are new to the business or who are new to, or aspiring to, management and leadership roles, and industry professionals who want a better understanding of book retailing.

The oldest form of literature (verse) will meet one of the newest forms of bookselling (BookSense.com) at this year's BookExpo America (BEA). On Saturday, May 31, from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., at BEA, BookSense.com will present its first-ever "Poetry Slam," a contest for aspiring poets to read and have their work judged by their peers for a chance to have a poem published on BookSense.com and in Bookselling This Week.

Graphic novels have emerged as one of the book industry's hottest formats, and BookExpo America (May 28 - June 1, in Los Angeles) has designated May 31 as Graphic Novel Saturday at the show. Related events will include educational and author-related sessions. In addition, new for 2003, BEA will also host a Graphic Novel Pavilion on the show floor.

Author Toni Morrison On March 25, BookExpo America announced that renowned author Toni Morrison would be a convention speaker at the BEA Book & Author Breakfast on Saturday, May 31.