Book Bloggers Convention officially comes under the BEA Umbrella

Below is the official press release going out in the morning announcing that Reed (BEA's owner) is acquiring the Book Bloggers Convention (BBC).  I won't be redundant with what is contained below but want to note 2 things.  One being that the role of BEA is increasingly as a source of discovery for new titles and bloggers are a critical connection for readers of all kinds to learn about new titles.  Bloggers have, in a very short window of time, become an integral constituency at BEA right along side with booksellers and traditional media.  This is a hand and glove fit to bring the BBC in with BEA.  The second item to note is my personal thanks that Michelle Franz and Trish Collins for having the vision to create something that was missing for this community and needed at BEA.  They were WONDERFUL partners and this will only work because BEA will have the luxury of transitioning the BBC from Michelle and Trish to insure that the spirit and intent they brought to this event is maintained and will only be augmented by the resources BEA can also bring to bear.  We are very excited as this one more key step in BEA's continued evolution in playing an important role in serving the publishing industry.   REED EXHIBITIONS, ORGANIZER OF BOOKEXPO AMERICA, PURCHASES BOOK BLOGGER CONVENTION Annual Event Continues to be Co-Located with BookExpo America Norwalk, CT, January 26, 2012:  Reed Exhibitions has purchased the Book Blogger Convention, an annual day-long conference devoted to providing support, instruction, and social time for people who blog about books.  The Book Blogger Convention was founded by Trish Collins of Hey Lady! Watcha Readin’? and Michelle Franz of Galleysmith, both devoted book bloggers who sensed a need for bringing the community of book bloggers together so that they might share information and learn from each other.  In order to capitalize on the captive community of book industry professionals who attend BookExpo America (BEA), North America’s largest annual book industry gathering, the Book Blogger Convention was launched in 2010 in co-location with BEA.  It will continue to be co-located with BEA and it will be fully integrated into the overall activity of the convention itself.  “We are delighted with this purchase and we look forward to advancing and building what Trish and Michelle have so effectively created in the Book Blogger Convention,” notes Steven Rosato, Show Manager for BookExpo America.  “Trish and Michelle are devoted to their community and they have invested a tremendous amount of their own personal time and energy into building a major presence for their colleagues at BEA.  We are pleased to be able to take this responsibility over for them and to build even greater recognition for the Book Blogger Convention by fully merging it with our BEA marketing efforts, programs, and attendee outreach.”   This year, the Book Blogger Convention will take place at the Javits Center on Monday, June 4 just as BEA is getting underway.  Previously, the conference and reception were held just after BEA concluded.   “We feel this positioning will provide greater continuity for the book bloggers and will afford them more opportunity,” notes Rosato.  “This way, the book bloggers can attend their own event and then immediately participate in BEA or BlogWorld East which gets underway Tuesday, June 5 and which is also co-located with BEA.”  Convention officials note that pricing for all events has been structured to allow easy access including an “All Access Super Pass” as well as a “New Media Super Pass”.  Further details about pricing and how to attend individual events and/or any combination of events at BEA are available at: http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/Register-Now/ The first Book Blogger Convention which took place in 2010 attracted just over 200 people and featured a line-up of speakers including online marketing specialists from most of the major publishing houses.   Sponsorships by HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Crown Publishing Group, Peachtree, and Unbridled Books reinforced the industry’s embrace of book bloggers.  Attendance in 2011 grew to 340 people.   “Book bloggers have emerged as a critical constituent in our universe,” concludes Rosato.  “We look forward to serving them as thoroughly as possible in the years ahead.”