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I did indeed, faithful readers!  Just about the time this blog was headed to an all new format I was traipsing the halls of the Javits Center during Book Expo 2010.  Being a working librarian and all, I was operating my library’s reference desk for most of BEA, but I was able to escape for a Thursday to see what there was to see.  I had about two hours on the floor, max.  That is a short amount of time, but it is amazing what one can accomplish when one is wearing shoes so uncomfortable that you are inclined to walk fast to dull the pain!

Sidenote: Historically, librarians aren’t BEA’s focus.  This is a bookseller convention and over the last few years librarians have started to trickle in.  They are not by any means catered to.  What I like about BEA is that I get to run into booksellers I wouldn’t normally run across.

Here then is my highly scientific view of all things BEA.  Ahem.

HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC VIEW OF ALL THINGS BEA

That was one of the staircases visible during the conference.  I admit, I was impressed.  I was unaware that Vladimir Tod had the clout to acquire the ENTIRE visible staircase at BEA.  Extra points for the colors as well.

After getting my press pass I went inside.  Rather than scout out where anyone actually was, I wandered around, vaguely heading towards any area where there was a large group of people.  This is sort of how I tackle ALA Conferences as well.  Call it my SMS or Systematic Meandering System.  In this particular case, I found myself at the end of the conference floor where the authors were signing.

I’m not a signing type o’ author, but if I ever become one I hope that the universe will acknowledge that I feel great boatloads of sympathy for any first timer or small press writer stuck next to a big name.  There were a couple of those roundabout 10 a.m. on a Thursday morning, but I shan’t name names.  I went over to the big board at this point to see if anyone interesting was coming up.

Dang!  Lemony Snicket had been signing the previous day.  If I were playing some perverse version of Author Bingo, Snicket/Handler would be The One Who Got Away.  I’m horrendously afraid of him, to the point where I was at a party thrown for him once and managed to give him a berth of about six yards at any given time.  I can’t explain it.  I adore him but he intimidates the eyelashes off of me.  Not his wife, the lovely authoress Lisa Brown, she of the YA novel Picture the Dead.  If I ever meet her I’ll bloody talk her ear off.  But Handler… someday, man.  Someday.

So who was around and about?  Well, I think Adam Rex was signing, but it wasn’t like I’d be able to engage him in conversation or anything.  No sir… I wanted someone I’d never met before.  Someone, ideally, I’d read as a kid.  The answer?

This guy.

Aw, yeah baby.  That’s James Howe, author of everything from Bunnicula to Totally Joe to his newest picture book Brontorina.  Which I got signed for the niece.  I like to call that a mission accomplished.

With my signed book in tow, I set out to see what was new from the pubs this season.  And not the New York based o

This would mark the second time all the imprints and various furbelows of Macmillan would gather together to create a slambang grand view of everything coming out on the children’s side of thing this coming Fall 2010.  If you’ll recall my recap of the Macmillan Spring 2010 preview season, in its first incarnation librarians were parceled out into groups and then shuttled from editorial office to editorial office.  The result was impressive (how many can boast to seeing the inner cells of both Frances Foster and Neal Porter in a single day?) but exhausting.  This time things were simplified.  The librarians present were fed and watered (chocolate brownies = happy MLIS degree carrying types) and then split once again into groups.  This time, though, we were taken to about four or five conference rooms.  There, the editors sat and explained their upcoming lists.  It was sweet, short, and to the point.  In essence, an ideal situation in which to hear about fantastic upcoming books.  Their timing, each and every time, was impeccable.

So!  On to room #1!  You’ve got your Simon Boughton, your Neil Porter, your Mark Siegel, and your Kate Jacobs.  So, essentially, we’re starting in the superstar room.  Intimidating.

Neal Porter started his talk with a little number by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan.  Neal I adore because he keeps doing really nice things for me.  For example, have you seen the latest copy of Sergio Ruzzier’s Hey, Rabbit! ?  Here’s the front:

Here’s the back:

And here’s a close-up on one of the quotes on the back:

Yup.  It might be fuzzy, but it’s me.  That would mark the very first time my blog has ever been blurbed on a hardcover edition of a book.  I get the occasional galley mention, but hardcover copies are an entirely different breed of beast.  And then just the other day I saw that my review of A Sick Day for Amos McGee showed up as a review on the book’s Amazon page!  So basically, Neal’s nice to me.  I’d understand if you now think that I cannot be relied up to offer an unbiased look at his upcoming books.  I’d understand, but after you give them your own glance I suspect you’ll be wiping away a little sting of drool from your own mouth as well.  The simp