Dispatch from Buenos Aires

I am in Buenos Aires attending the International Book Fair directors meeting.  It is so hard to squeeze a trip like this just weeks before BEA, but it is also great to meet with show directors from Taipei, Beijing, Bologna, Frankfurt, Guadalajara, Columbia, Leipzig, Salon du Livre and our wonderful hosts from Buenos Aires.  We  run very different events with unique issues, but we all share the question of what the future holds for book fairs as the rise of ebooks casts a long shadow over what that future will be and the role of book fairs in that future. 

We had the great pleasure to hear from a publisher from Argentina that has a tradtional publishing house and launched a niche digital publishing company as well in 2009.  It was encouraging to hear his experience using open source software to create a platform from scratch and has now published almost 100 books, selling through Amazon or using on demand printing to fill orders.  His success is the long tail in real life.  He can nimbly get books published at a much quicker rate the scale it as needed through his digital fulfillment options.  He also still finds the role of the book fair very important and can not replace what you get from sitting and talking with peers face to face to learn and get inspiration.  That is why I am in Buenos Aires 4 weeks before BEA, what you get from face to face can not be replicated or substituted. 

As the painful memories of 2009 will not fade anytime soon, I have the sense BEA be starting point for a better time for business and the world of books, where growth and stability will be possible.  I hope that I am right and the 1st corner we turn will be marked on the calendar as May 25-27 2010 at the Javits Center and all over NYC!

What you need to know about BEA, if you didn't know it already

It has been a remarkably busy week in the wake the unprecedented travel problems that people had to endure.  That has led to a huge run up in interest for BEA.  I am surprised at the amount of questions from people who are not familiar with the changes at BEA for 2010. I take ownership in that we need to communicate this information better.  If you are reading this and any of these points are news - please forward this post onto anyone who can benefit.  

Here are the most critical points as people gear up and adjust for what will be a fantastic BEA.

• BEA is a 3 day Event - Tuesday May 25th will be loaded with activity that includes:
• The CIROBE Remainders Pavilion, Exhibitor Meeting Rooms AND the International Rights Center are all up and fully functioning from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
• The BEA Big Ideas & Global Market Forum (Spain) Programs are running
• The ABA Programming, The IDPF Digital Book 2010 & the LJ/SLJ Day of Dialogue are all happening at Javits.
• BEA has 2 Full Exhibit Days May Wednesday 26th 9am - 6pm & Thursday May 27th 9am - 5pm
• The ABA/BEA Plenary Session (CEO Panel), Barbara Streisand and the Editors Buzz Panel are Tuesday May 25th
• The YA Buzz Panel is Wednesday May 26th.
• BEA's new BEA Search It/Find It tool will make it VERY easy to find everything at BEA. 
• There are still plenty of hotel rooms at great rates.  BEA Hotel & Travel Links
• I just priced a round trip fare from Heathrow to JFK on Kayak.com from May 22-28 - $498.00 direct on AA.
• There are still tables available in the IRC and there are a limited number of booths available.

Nothing is more pointless than getting angry at a volcano.

I have to admit stealing the title from a Tweet I read.  It has been far more interesting and informative following the Iceland volcano on Facebook and Twitter.  Obvious or not - I will not being at the London Book Fair this week.   The bonus was personal in that my wife has to travel for work this week as well and the gymnastics of trying to run our personal lives sandwiched around a total of 3 business trips (I am off to Buenos Aires on 4/26) was a mild nightmare.  The people in London will adapt and have a productive fair regardless.  I also expect that people who are were shut out like myself will adapt as well.   I already have 3 meetings in NYC for this Tuesday with other erstwhile LBF goers.

Check the Tweets at #LBF10 or Volcano.  Here are some highlights just tweeted:

• According to legend, the only way to appease the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland is to sacrifice Justin Bieber.
• Back home... No train available until Tuesday at least and airports still closed... FML I'm not going to London :(((((((( F&#K YOU VOLCANO
• RT @BOOKSA: Just got the news that @WitsPressauthor Pumla Dineo Gqola has made it to #lbf10http://bit.ly/9N6rsO Brilliant!
• Getting to be new best friends with the few other Americans who made it over here. Tonight: tapas

I am now off to a little league pitching clinic I would have otherwise missed...so all is not lost!