BEA Blogger's Conference Part 4: Extending You Reach - to ALL the things!

Since I'm so behind posting reviews and it's been forever since I posted ANYTHING I considered not posting the rest of my planned BEA posts.

BUT!

This one is so fun because it has links and pictures and stuff :)

Seriously though - I learned a bunch in this session at the Blogger's Conference and really want to share all the pretties with you.

Here we go!

Extending the Reach of Your Blog Online

Speakers:
Mandy Boles, The Well-Read Wife
Malle Vallik, Harlequin
Eric Smith, Quirk Books
Robert Mooney, Blogads

*The speakers started by highlighting what they believed to be the most important social media venues for bloggers. They then went on to talk about some of their favorites.

*Robert pointed out the fact that, as bloggers, you can't put your post up and expect everything to happen. You have to work at promoting yourself and your ideas.

So, what exactly did they talk about?

Let's start with the big guns:

Twitter -- www.twitter.com
Not everyone uses it but a lot of people do. Lots of third party programs and apps to choose from.
Don't think I need to go too much into this one ;)

Facebook -- www.facebook.com
I personally don't love Facebook but so many people use it. Even if you aren't that active, you can create a page for your blog and have your posts feed to it.
Again, it's all about options. Even if you aren't a heavy Facebook user, your followers (or potential followers) might be.

Instagram -- instagram.com
App based - iOS and now Android supported. I'm on the fence about this one. It's apparently VERY big with tech and mommy bloggers and Mandy believes it will become just as huge for book bloggers in the future.
It uses hashtags in the same way Twitter does and Mandy mentioned 1 blog that hosts a monthly 'gram a day' type meme -- The Estella Society (here's June's #EstellaGram list).
If I get an iPhone I'm sure I'll use it more. It's very (completely?) visual and I do like that.

Now some more fun goodies:

Pinterest -- pinterest.com
Love this site! It can be a total time suck but it's also pretty awesome. I've been using it to link up my review posts (which link to my blog) and also to link up books I've read (which link to Goodreads). Again - it's a very visual place and I think that helps a lot when talking about books. Publishers are using it more and more to promote and I love logging into my account and seeing tons of pretty covers :)

Vine -- vine.co
Vine is a app that lets users post 6 second video clips. It started with iOS devices and recently released for Android.
BBC was the first time I had heard of this app! Since then it seems to be creeping up everywhere - even my library is considering setting up an account. I can totally see this becoming very very big and loads of fun to use.

StumbleUpon -- www.stumbleupon.com
Taken directly from their website: "StumbleUpon is a giant collection of the best pages on the Internet". I honestly have no idea what this is all about except for the fact that views or readership or whatever you want to call it can grow over time so something you post today could be viewed by others months from now if it becomes popular? Maybe? Maybe you don't actually post things yourself...again - NO IDEA! (I'll probably check it out soon though ;)

Triberr -- triberr.com
A type of "blog amplification" platform where you become part of a tribe and promote the works of other tribe members. The only experience I've had with this has been negative. It very much feels like spam - group organized and focused but still spam.

Reddit -- www.reddit.com
Another site I don't fully understand. It's user generated where people can submit links or text and others can vote to promote stories. I hear it all the time about something becoming big after being posted to Reddit or someone finding out something because someone posted it to Reddit.
No idea how you could use this to promote your blog...would love to hear your ideas if you're a Reddit user!

Other sites mentioned:

Tweetreach -- tweetreach.com
A tool for measuring the reach of your tweets. (Really tried hard to come up with a better explanation for this one :)

Google+ -- www.google.com
I have a Google+ account and I know people who are heavy users and love it. It's growing in popularity...just slowly I think. I do want to figure out how to add a Google+ share link to my blog posts.

Blogad products mentioned by speaker Robert Mooney

Distillry -- www.distillry.net
A website that can fiter your Twitter stream for you.

Twiangulate -- twiangulate.com
Another Twitter using device - it can help you find all the ways everything and everyone on Twitter is connected.

Pullquote -- pullquote.com
You can use Pullquote to "create a link to a paragraph on a web page" (like your blog). Great for "tweeting, micro-bookmarking and sharing key ideas".

I would love to know what social media sites you guys love!

BEA Blogger's Conference Part 3: Blogging Platforms

I know you've probably seen a TON of post BEA recap posts

As to not overwhelm you with ALL THE WORDS, I've broken up my BEA experience into a couple of posts (you know, because more is less ;)

I've also broken down my posts into bullet points because I like them :)

Today I bring you my thoughts on:

BEA Blogger's Conference, Blogging Platforms

Speakers:
Rachel Rivera, Parajunkee
Stephanie Leary, Word Press Consultant
Evie Seo, Bookish
April Conant, Good Books and Good Wine

This panel was fun as the main focus was Blogger blogs vs Wordpress blogs.

I can't say that I agreed with all of what was said but it was all very interesting!

Here are some of the points discussed!

*Blogger has limited html use - if you like working with html there isn't a whole lot you can do

*Blogger is seen as a 'starting' point and most bloggers 'move up' to other platforms eventually and becasue of this you might be viewed differently by some if you use Blogger.

*A "blogspot.com" address is seen as less professional --- this was a point that I didn't agree with at all and not only because I'm one of those bloggers :)

*Blogger is free to use and is relatively easy. You can have a fully functioning blog that you can use without many problems, without having to pay a dime.

*Wordpress doesn't cache your blog so you are at the mercy of your host. If your host goes down your blog goes down. Traffic spikes to your blog can mean down time if your host can't keep up.

*Both offer free picture storage although Wordpress gives you more to start. Once you do have to pay for more, Blogger's prices are cheaper.

*If you want to make money with your blog (which I would never dream of doing) then WP is the way to go.

*Wordpress has more of a support system.

Now, here's the thing to remember. Wordpress is actually 2 different platforms. There is Wordpress.com which is free and hosted by WP and there is Wordpress.org which you have to pay for and self host.

Wordpress.com doesn't offer nearly as much as its .org counter part. It wasn't outright said but I think some would agree that Blogger is actually better overall then Wordpress.com -- SOME would agree with this I think.

Wordpress.org has TONS to offer but you need money to make it happen and the time and knowledge to do it well.

The way I see it is this: If you have time, money and knowledge you can really make a Wordpress.org blog look fantastic. You'll get a lot out of it and your readers will enjoy it BUT if you don't have the time, money or knowledge, you can still have a fantastic blog using Blogger.

When it comes right down to it your blog is what you make of it. For me at least, content is the most important part of a blog. Sidebars, headers, URLs, plugins, bells, whistles, fireworks -- these things are important also but not as important as the content of your blog.

For me, it's what you say, not how you say it.

Last but certainly not least in my little semi ranty recap of this panel I need to say - the speakers were FANTASTIC! They all obviously knew what they were talking about and did an extremely good job of sharing their thoughts with the audience. I might not agree with everything they said but I enjoyed hearing their opinions. It's one of my favorite things about being a blogger -- we are all so different with SO many different opinions (and not just about books :)

For more info on my BEA experience (because, you NEED more info don't you ;)
BEA Book Haul
BEA Blogger's Conference Part 1: Keynote Speakers and YA Blogging
BEA Blogger's Conference Part 2: Blogging and the FCC

Next up... Extending The Reach of Your Blog Online

BEA Blogger's Conference Part 2: Blogging and the FCC

At this point you've probably seen a TON of post BEA recap posts 

(including my first one ;)

As to not overwhelm you with ALL THE WORDS, I've broken up my BEA experience into a couple of posts (you know, because more is less ;)

I've also broken down my posts into bullet points because I like them :)

Today I bring you my thoughts on:

BEA Blogger's Conference, Blogging and the FCC

All of these points are taken from the Ethics Forum Luncheon and please keep in mind that I am NOT an expert on any of this! I have read the FCC's rules and I've tried to be an informed as possible. This forum added to my knowledge of the situation BUT I urge you to seek out answer of your own regarding how you operate your own blog. For example, I do nothing with paid advertising or affiliate links or the like so there are some 'issues' I never need to think about.

People on the panel:
Jane Little - DearAuthor.com
Richard Newman - Hinch Newman LLP
Professor Geanne Rosenberg - Baruch College

Most of the notes I took came from what Richard said as he spoke the most regarding the FCC.

With that said - these are the things I took away from the Forum.

*The FCC is concerned with the consumer 
This means that they care about how a product is portrayed and how that portrayal effects what people pay money for. All rules and regulations in place follow this guideline of protecting the consumer.

*ARCs are freebies
Whether you agree with this or not - it's how the FCC sees things and it's how a lot of non bloggers see things as well.
You are getting something for free in exchange for a review -- the true retail value of the object (in the case of ARCs this is $0) doesn't matter.
Which leads into my next point...

*It's all about appearance
The FCC doesn't care how you got that book but they do care about what you say about WHERE you got that book.
Got it for review from the publisher? Tell your readers this in your review.
No magic words to use in your disclosure. A simple "I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for this review" works.
As long as you remember that...

*Where you put your disclosure is important
One blanket statement about how you receive products in exchange for reviews posted to your side bar? - Not good
A small footnote at the bottom of your review? - Also not good.
The FCC actually gives specifics on where your disclosure should be. As their interests lie in making sure the consumer is well informed they believe a disclosure should go up top and be easy to read (lots of things about mobile devices and not having to scroll anywhere to see it) and it should be placed before any hyperlinks (because we all know we love to click away whenever we can!)
But really we aren't talking about every review you post because...

*Negative reviews are 'critical' reviews and the FCC cares not
Really these rules I've talked about apply only to positive reviews.
Critical reviews - or negative reviews or non positive reviews or whatever you want to call them don't count.
A little weird but it makes sense if you think about it in a black and white sort of way.
People are going to buy what other people say is 'good'. The FCC wants to make sure people yelling 'good' are being fully upfront about everything.
People don't buy what other people say are 'bad'. No one is buying it, there is no consumer, the FCC doesn't care.
Does this reflect real life? Not really.
Is it easier to just disclosure the source of the books you are reviewing in every review you post? In my opinion - yes.

I've always had a little 'disclosure' statement at the beginning of my review posts stating where the book I read cam from, even if I bought it myself. I see no need to change this although I might format it a little differently.

Like I said before, how you operate your blog is up to you! Do you really have to worry about the FCC? Probably not but it's better to be safe then sorry and it doesn't take all that much to comply with their rules and regulations.

For more info on my BEA experience:
BEA Book Haul
BEA Blogger's Conference Part 1: Keynote Speakers and YA Blogging

Up tomorrow -- Blogging Platforms!

BEA Blogger's Conference Part 1: Keynote Speakers and YA Blogging

At this point you've probably seen a TON of post BEA recap posts.

As to not overwhelm you with ALL THE WORDS, I've broken up my BEA experience into a couple of posts (you know, because more is less ;)

I've also broken down my posts into bullet points because I like them :)

Today...oops...I mean Tonight! I bring you my thoughts on:

BEA Blogger's Conference Keynote Speakers, YA Blogging and...

other various things :)

*Opening Day Keynote speaker Will Schwalbe ruffled some feathers with his speech but all in all I think his heart was in the right place

*Loved it when he said "Books are how we take part in the human conversation" and that readers are "...looking for the book to do something for them." I totally agree with this!

*Meet with the NetGalley folks for a Wellness Check up - I love them and it was awesome.

*NetGalley is getting ready for some website changes this summer! Think, easier usability - very excited!

*Missed part of the panel called Young Adult Editor Insight Panel...and can't really remember what is was about...

*Second YA session was better - Young Adult Book Blogging Pros: Successes, Struggles and Insider Secrets - the speakers were all really great.

*Some good things in this one - like having back up plans for when you want to post something but it doesn't work out and a cool hint (to me at least) for using Edelweiss to search pub catalogs for upcoming releases.

*Some not so good things - like how you should 'force yourself to blog' and that you need to blog everyday or your blog isn't going to be successful. This doesn't really jive with how I do things but to each his own!

*Lunch was crazy and not well thought out at all.

*I was able to eat and make it back to the big meeting room for a lively (sarcasm ;) talk on Ethics - which was basically lots of talk around the FCC rules for bloggers..which I'll post about tomorrow!

*Closing keynote speaker was kind of a joke. Randi Zucherberg (brother of the other Zucherberg) spoke for a while about how great stuff and things are - now with Facebook!

*Ok - maybe it wasn't that bad but I got nothing out of her talk and I don't think she even said the word 'blog' once let alone anything that was relevant bloggers.

More tomorrow!

Book Roundup (20) - BEA BOOKS!

I'm so glad I put together these lists before I started organizing my book collection :)

BEA was wonderful and exhausting and I have lots of quick and no frills posts about my experience ready for you guys this week.

BUT!

What I really love talking about are THE BOOKS!

I was good this year - at least I think I was. I really tried not to take books I knew weren't for me. Even so, a few made it home that after some consideration I decided I wasn't going to keep.

Anything marked with a * at the end have since been added to my donation pile for my local teen librarian.
I apologize if something is pictured I forgot to list...brain full...no worky so good anymore...

Book Blogger's Convention
~Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender / October 2013 Scholastic
~Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken / October 2013 Hyperion
~The Darkest Path by Jeff Hirsch / September 2013 Scholastic
~Sorrow's Knot by Erin Bow / October 2013 Arthur A. Levine
~Winds of Salem: A Witches of East End Novel (The Beauchamp Family #3) by Melissa de la Cruz / August 2013 Hyperion

Harper Publisher Party
~Wait for You (Wait for You #1) by J. Lynn / September 2013
~The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney / October 2013
(I also received some contemporary fiction books that I gave to my aunt)

Simon Teen Publisher Party
~Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn #2) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian / September 2013
~OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu / July 2013
~Chantress (Chantress Trilogy #1) by Amy Butler Greenfield / May 2013
~Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young / August 2013
~When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds / January 2014 (not pictured)
~Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles #1) by Lauren DeStefano / October 2013 (not pictured)

Thursday
~Ghost Time by Courtney Eldridge / June 2013 Amazon Children's Publishing
~Antigoddess (Goddess War #1) by Kendare Blake / September 2013 Tor Teen
~Treasure Hunters by James Patterson / September 2013 Little Brown
~Unbreakable (Legion #1) by Kami Garcia / October 2013 Little Brown
~Wild Born (Spirit Animals #1) by Brandon Mull / September 2013 Scholastic
~The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos / May 2013 Starscape
~These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner / December 2013 Disney Hyperion
~Nowhere To Run (The 39 Clues: Unstoppable, #1) by Jude Watson / October 2013 Scholastic
~Wild Cards (Wild Cards #1) by Simone Elkeles / October 2013 Walker Books*
~Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper / August 2013 McElderry Books*
~Storm Watcher by Maria V. Snyder / October 2013 Leap Books
~The Eye of Minds (The Mortality Doctrine #1) by James Dashner / October 2013 Delacorte Books
~Human Remains by Elizabeth Haynes / August 2013 Harper
~Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman / October 2013 Harper

Friday
~Hostage Three by Nick Lake / October 2013 Bloom
~Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan / August 2013 Knopf Books
~All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry / September 2013 Viking Juvenile
~Vicious by V. E. Schwab / September 2013 Tor
~Hypnotize Me by Gordon Korman / September 2013 Scholastic
~Charming (Pax Arcana #1) by Elliott James / September 2013 Orbit
~The Boy On The Porch by Sharon Creech / September 2013 Harper*
~Indelible (The Twixt #1) by Dawn Metcalf / July 2013 Harlequin Teen
~The Bone Season (Scion #1) by Samantha Shannon / August 2013 Bloomsbury
~The Coldest Girl in Coldtown (The Coldest Girl in Coldtown #1) by Holly Black / September 2013 Little Brown
~Wasteland by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan / March 2013 HarperTeen
~Body and Blood (The Survivors #3) by Amanda Havard / July 2013 Chafie Press*
~Queen Victoria's Book of Spells: An Anthology of Gaslamp Fantasy edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling / March 2013 Tor
~The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave #1) by Rick Yancey / May 2013 Putnam Juvenile

Saturday
~Frozen (Heart of Dread #1) by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston / September 2013 Putnam Juvenile
~Awoken by Timothy Miller / August 2013 Spencer Hill Press
~Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine #1) by Ransom Riggs / June 2013 Quirk
~Relic (Book of Eva #1) by Heather Terrell / October 2013 Soho Teen
~The Ward (The Ward #1) by Jordana Frankel / April 2013 Katherine Tegen Books
~Find Me by Romily Bernard / September 2013 Harper Teen
~Independent Study (The Testing #2) by Joelle Charbonneau / January 2014 Houghton Miffin
~Sex and Violence by Carrie Mesrobian / October 2013 Carolrhoda LAB*
~The Creature Department by Robert Paul Weston / November 2013 Razorbill*
~False Sight (False Memory #2) by Dan Krokos / August 2013 Hyperion
~Hereafter (Shadowlands #2) by Kate Brian / October 2013 Hyperion*
~Shadowlark (Skylark #2) by Meagan Spooner / October 2013 Carolrhoda LAB

Which are you the most excited for?

What should I read first!?

I'm Back!

I'm home! 

Got a few hours with my family yesterday before bedtime and now it's back to work.

I had such a fabulous week and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Detailed posts to come soon but in the mean time, here are some pics of the pretties I was lucky enough to take home with me :)

These came from the Book Bloggers Convention (which will be getting an entire post of it's own!) and also a few a publisher parties I was invited to.

Thursday - BEA day 1

Friday - BEA day 2

Saturday - BEA day 3

BEA: All you need to know + more Part 2!

Last week Eleni and I shared with you some of our BEA tips and invited you to ask your own questions.

We have answers! 

Jenn asked: 

Q: About the bag. I've read you should either bring a bag or have a box down in the bottom floor. If it's about the same to bring the extra bag home or ship it, I'd prefer to ship. Any suggestions or knowledge as to what airlines charge for those hefty suitcases with books?

A: Neither of us flew or shipped our books last year. You should check with your specific airline about baggage prices. For shipping options, there is an on site FedEx Office location inside the Jacob Javits Center. You can check their website for rates.

Sara asked:

Q: How long do the lines get for author signings? Particularly the more popular but not ticketed authors?  Should I be ready to camp out for some?

A: Each signing only lasts a set amount of time you will never wait that long. There is a fair amount of 'camping out' but you'll be surrounded by people, hopefully making new friends and you won't even notice how long you're waiting.

Erica asked:

Q: I really want to go to BEA. I live right next to New York. But the problem is I really have no relation with books other than reading them. Is it possible for a person who just loves reading books to get into BEA?

A: As far as we know, no. BEA is not open to the general public. 

Amelia asked:

Q: Hey Eleni/Emily - just watched a vlog talking about grouping up and stuff....how important is it to be in a group at BEA? 

A: It's as important as you would like it to be. If you're a solitary person and want to be alone - that's fine.

If you like being with others, meeting up with and hanging out with fellow bloggers is something that could happen as well. I (Emily) went last year with a few phone numbers of fellow bloggers but with never actually having met anyone in person before. I quickly made new friends and spend a ton of time with them walking the exhibit hall and waiting in line for signings. I also spent a lot of time walking around by myself, introducing myself to publisher reps and enjoying the atmosphere. 

Jamie asked:

Q: Do people bring their own books for authors to sign? Or is that a faux pas? I know that they're mainly there to promote their upcoming titles and will be signing ARCs, but is it rude to bring a personal copy for them to sign?

A: Not rude but not really ok either. I'm not sure if it's an official rule or anything but I would not bring my own books. Authors will be signing MANY books in a very short amount of time and won't really have the time (and might flat out refuse) to sign other copies. 

Alexia asked:

Q: Should bloggers have an introduction post for new blog visitors since we'll be handing out so many business cards? Or not do anything special for BEA?

A: Up to you! I (Emily again), didn't have time to schedule posts during BEA last week so I had a, hey, I'm at BEA this week post up all week as well as a sticky note at the top of my blog saying "Hi" to anyone new. I'll probably do the same thing this year.

Still have questions? 

Fill out OUR FORM and one of us will try to get back to you via email :)

And now for a little something extra!

May 23rd is not only the start of BEA it is also the first day of New York Book Week.

There are TONS of events happening in the city and if you have extra time, it's worth it to check some of them out. It would be virtually impossible to attend every single event so no worries! Make the best with the time you have an above all - enjoy the books and enjoy the company of your fellow book lovers!

To highlight a few events in particular.

Why in particular? Because you might see one or both of us there ;)

Huntington Public Library Class of 2K11 Author Event 

338 Main Street, Huntington, Long Island, NY

Sunday May 22 at 3pm

Meet seven authors from the Class of 2K11 as they talk about their road to publication

Teen Author Carnival 

Mulberry Street Library, 10 Jersey Street , NYC

Monday May 23rd 4pm-7pm

A session of panels with a ton of authors - talking about writing and their books, usually followed by a Q&A. The website is lacking information but a list of authors attending can be found here and here.

Last year there was also a signing with a bookstore on site to make purchases.

Books of Wonder Class of 2K11 Event

18 West 18th Street, NYC

Wednesday May 25th 6pm-8pm

Another gathering of some 2K11 debut authors.

Book Blogger Author / Blogger Reception 

Jacob Javits Center

Thursday May 26th 3pm-5pm

A meet and greet for authors and bloggers - open to everyone free of charge (last year there was a fee).

For information on even more events, check out BookExpo America's New York Book Week page

Happy BEA week everyone! Hope to see you there!

BEA: All you need to know + more!

Are you going to Book Expo America this year?
I am and I'm so excited!
Last year was my first time attending and it was one of the best experiences of my life. The books were awesome, the authors were marvelous and the atmosphere was amazing. Thousands of people in the same place joined together by a mutual love of books? Fan-freaken-tastic!

One of the fabulous girls I met last year is Eleni from La Femme Readers. We've teamed up to (maybe?) help some of you out with a few BEA Qs and As. Some things I wish I had known before going last year.

And, in case we missed something you are wondering about, at the bottom is a form to ask your own question. Eleni and I will post again with more answers if need be and also with some supper links to other happenings in New York that week.

And if you're going and want to meet up, let me know! I'll be in NY all week.

On with the questions!

_____________________

BEA Q and A with Emily and Eleni:

Q: What should I bring to BEA?

Emily: Quick answer - as little as possible. By the end of the day you will have a lot of books to carry home (or back to your hotel). I brought way too much with me last year. Really all you need are the basics - cell phone, wallet / ID, some cash, BEA schedule (which you will get when you check in), pen, and maybe a snack.

Eleni: I agree with Emily on that one. I did a big mistake last year by bringing my pocket book. This time around, a little wristlet or even a cross body bag would work. I tend to carry my life with me, but the necessities really only matter during BEA. You won't care about your make-up, you'll be too busy drooling over all the YA goodies and almost fainting from meeting all your favorite authors.

Q: What should I wear?

Emily: Comfortable shoes are a must! It's function over fashion for me! Comfortable but respectable clothes. Don't over think it.

Eleni: Amen on the comfy shoes! Even my flats were hurting my feet, that's how long you are on your feet. Sneakers would be the smartest decision, but will I take my advice? Probably not! :) I tend to wear leggings and a top, that usually equals comfy and cute.

Q: What should I NOT do?

Emily: Worry too much. Lots of talk last year about rude bloggers. Well, yeah - bloggers are people and some people can be rude! You are going to run into all kinds of different folks and if someone rubs you the wrong way? Shake it off. You are there to meet great people and find great books. The actions of others should in no way mar your experience. For every 1 person you see acting in a way that may be shameful, you'll meet 3 people who are absolutely wonderful!

Eleni: Take your time! Don't rush around like a mad woman. I did that last year and I felt like a crazed kid in a candy store. Yes, they'll be so many things going on at once you'll want to attend everything, but remember it's going to be a long day so try to save up your energy and strategize. And don't skip out on lunch, I didn't even eat much last year because I felt like I was going to miss out on something. Also, to touch on Emily's response, yeah rude people in general do exist. After all, you're breathing New York air so the stereotype of rude New Yorkers might just rub off on them hehe. Ignore them and have fun!

Q: How much should I plan?

Emily: For me, it's more about being aware of what's going on then actually planning every minute of my day. I'm already stalking the Search It, Find It BEA page for info on what authors will be signing and I've made a list of who I would like to see. I've also looked up info on a few book related events going on that week that I would like to attend. BUT will I see all these authors and attend all these events? Maybe, maybe not. I plan on gathering up as much info as I can before I get there but I'm going to be flexible on what I actually do.

Eleni: I'm a big list maker. It definitely helped me last year for sure! On BEA's site it shows you all the authors and events going on: http://www.bookexpoamerica.com:80/en/Show-Info/Exhibitor-List-and-Floorplan/

Q: What about food?

Emily: Don't plan on eating :) Ok - don't plan on eating much! The food at the JJC is expensive and not that great but it's there if you need it. Hot dog stand out front is cheap but maybe NYC hot dogs aren't your thing :) Honestly, last year, I wasn't even hungry until the end of the day. A good breakfast, a quick snack and a good dinner and I was fine. Set aside extra money for the expensive stuff - like the $3 bottle of Snapple - after a few hours on your feet carrying books around - it will be well worth it.

Eleni: Yes, JJC food is expensive! I mean come on $3.00 for a water bottle? Really? You're better off bringing one from your house or hotel. Like Emily said the hot dog stand outside is affordable and well at the end of the day if you're desperately hungry or thirsty, JJC is there to provide you with whatever you need.

Q: What about money?

Emily: Make sure you have cash. For the snacks in the JJC, for the hot dogs out front, for the author signing donation boxes and for the random cab ride you might not be able to avoid.

Eleni: Cash for sure! Last year, I believe I carried $100 with me, that way I had extra cash if it was necessary. It comes in handy when you want to go eat out with your blogger friends or even use the Fedex facility in JJC to ship your books back home!

Q: Do I really need to bring a suitcase with me each day?

Emily: Yes! There should be a section set aside for bag checking. $3 a day (last year's price) and you can visit your bag as many times as you want to fill with books. Everyone will have them and you shouldn't feel silly bringing one. Remember though - no rolling bags on the Exhibit floor.

Eleni: Hell yes! I remember Emily and I made numerous trips to our suitcase to unload books. It's a huge advantage, especially with all the ARC's that will be available to you. Plus, on the floor you are allowed to hold tote bags that a few publisher's and JJC will provide. After a while your shoulder will feel like it will fall off, so when it's time to go back to your suitcase you'll feel great knowing it's there. No need to worry though it's securely protected by a lady so nobody will steal your belongings. This picture above is similar to the one I used, it's simple and has wheels on it for better traveling. Overstock is selling them around $25-27, so it's not too late to grab an affordable bag!

Want to visit the Strand bookstore?

Eleni: Trust me you want too! It's such a HUGE bookstore with an exceptional variety of YA and adult books. Plus, there is even a section for YA ARC's -- super cool right?

Emily: I still dream about the Strand sometimes :) It's such an awesome place and yes, if you can, you should go!

Strand's address is:

828 Broadway (between 12th St & 13th St)

New York, NY 10003

Some of you might be taking taxi's, which I believe costs around $10 from JJC, depending on traffic. For those of you using the subway, here is a website that will give you the exact train details you need to reach any destination: www.hopstop.com -- I use this site for all my train rides! It's easy and very helpful.

Do you have a BEA question? Ask below...

That's it for now. Stay tuned for the '+ more' part where we'll share some awesome links and NY tips.

Eleni has posted with same form so you only need to ask us once :)