Day two: the BEA merry-go-round continues (retrospectively, that is!)
I trust my last post left you salivating for some Korean chow. Be sure to try the miso soup. It was so unusally yummy that I can’t say enough about it. What I didn’t say anything about was the post-BEA Friday night fun I had with pals Judy Martin and Fredda Psaltis, two gorgeous and talented girls with brains to boot. I think they had a field day making fun of their overtired nearly catatonic, BEA-worn buddy. I was a sitting duck.
On to day two at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center where drums rang through the halls and scantily clad women danced the samba. What? Did I really see that? Even more memorable was the oversized yet sleek booth that I repeatedly passed on my way to the restroom hosted by some Arabian concern. My boss said it was his fellow racehorse owner, “the sheik.” Added an exotic flavor to the show to say the least.
How can I describe the organized chaos that was Saturday? Every person who flew in with us pitched in. Didn’t matter if they were an employee or an appendage thereof. The appendages thereof were amazing. I can’t imagine the show without them. Matthew, Gary, Fredda, THANK YOU! Master hawkers, schleppers, gophers, and mood stabilizers of the highest caliber.
I told my boss that bringing my friend kept my neurotic flare-ups at bay. Everyone was better off, trust me.
Enter Jane Velez-Mitchell, our first Saturday morning autographer at the general signing area. Were we bothered that her table was flanked by Nicholas Sparks and another well-known author whose name escapes me? Not at all. She had her own fans and a happy overflow of Sparks’ fans. Ideal, if you ask me. Jane point blank suggested to all her comers that she was sure there was some issue they could identify with in her September book, iWant. I loved the idea of playing off her HLN show’s name, “Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell.” The wheels in my marketing mind started turning.
Clever.
Then I escorted Jane to her booth signing and picked up Mary Jo Buttafuoco for her big event at the autographing area. And, let me tell you, it was BIG. She sat in the prime signing spot with our beloved Ziggy artist/author, Tom Wilson beside her. Their lines had no ends and between Mary Jo’s identification with each of her fans and Tom’s personal Ziggy drawings in people’s books, life was good.
Mary Jo Buttafuoco with Fredda Psaltis
The one and only, Tom Wilson, Jr., Ziggy cartoonist
We had the pint-sized and adorable “Nutrition Twins,” Tammy and Lyssie Lakatos signing previews of their “The Secret to Skinny” book. Later they had the divine timing of being in the booth when a young (handsome) producer from the daytime tv show, The Doctors, came around. Don’t be surprised if you see them on the show.
the "Nutrition Twins", co-authors of The Secret of Skinny
Fresh from his appearance on Fox and Friends, Joe Lamacchia turned up, cap n’all to sign Blue Collar & Proud Of It with darling daughter Madison and his wife in tow. Stunning ex-super model , Magali Amadei arrived with co-author Claire Mysko to sign previews of the intriguing “Does this Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat” book slated for September. Jen Singer, the force behind www.mommasaid.net was there to sign her wonderful “Stop Second Guessing” series’ books for parents. And, Lauren Ulm had people clamoring for her “Vegan Yum Yum” book.
And then there was Hannah Friedman. Dressed to the nines in anything-but-basic-black BEA regalia for her signing sessions, fans were lining up before her appointed time. That wouldn’t necessarily be unusual if this wasn’t Hannah’s FIRST BOOK! “Everything Sucks” is a provocative enough title but I think we were seeing a vision of things to come. From our first meeting, Hannah struck me as star quality. Her BEA response is the second indicator for me. When her book hits the streets in August, we’ll soon see.
Hannah Friedman was definitely the one to watch in the HCI lineup. If you haven’t checked out her YouTube videos, have a gander. Refreshingly creative stuff. Let me know what you think.
Ah….my BEA-lag (not jet lag since we stayed on the same coast) is kicking in and saying “save the rest for another post oh weary blogger.” So, I shall listen to my little voice inside my head and bid you adieu. I’ll have more to tell. There was a party…
I’m waiting for your comments. Weren’t you at BEA? Didn’t something memorable happen there or are you of the “what happens in BEA stays at BEA” camp. I hope not.
Ciao.
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Thanks for the plug, Kim, and for keeping my books lined up to sign. Nice to meet you in person.
Kim, love your blog! Thanks for the shoutout. I had a blast. If you need me to quit my teaching job and go on the road, let me know. XO, Matthew