writerjenn

So I was gonna do this great long, detailed post about all the wonderful things I saw at the ALA exhibits today. And all the wonderful FREE things I lugged home. But sometimes, you just gotta be there. After a while, info overload kicks in. However, I can do highlights and tips--and maybe you'd prefer that after all.

ALA EXHIBIT-CRUISING HIGHLIGHTS AND TIPS

1. The secret to my success in remaining upright for several hours on the floor: cushioned hiking socks. (Comfortable walking shoes too, of course.)

2. Angel wings should be awarded to Ms. Kelly Fineman, with whom I not only lunched and visited several booths, but who generously drove me home so that I would not have to lug all those books and catalogs on the train. As a bonus, since Kelly has been researching Jane Austen for one of her projects, I got to hear some juicy details of Jane Austen's life, and we speculated on how those events may have influenced Austen's books. Just the kind of writerly talk I love.

3. Booths with nothing but computers were not visually exciting. I predict those kinds of booths will become increasingly flashy in coming years.

4. For book-related giveaways, I like bookmarks, magnets, pens, and other useful items. I already have more posters than I can use. Edible giveaways are good too. At one point I would've swarmed any booth that gave away bottled water. But advance reading copies are the best giveaway of all.

5. There was a "flash-teeth-whitening" booth, where you could apparently get your teeth whitened right there on the spot. Not sure what that has to do with libraries. No, I didn't do it!

6. I don't know that I could pick out any trends among YA books, but it does seem that the topic of war is starting to creep in to the market--small wonder. Overall, quality still seems to matter the most. If it's a good story, well told, it will find a home--though a great hook always helps.

7. In the area of continuing trends, verse novels are still in the mix, and the manga/graphic novel field seems to be getting bigger.  Vampires are still around.

8. A couple of publishers were handing out catalogs on CD as well as paper. I imagine the CDs would be easier to carry home, but more of a pain to scroll through on screen. I went with the paper. 

Now I'm going to revise my WIP a little, then collapse.