No, I’m not at BEA. Yes, I’m pouting. Join me?

I have nothing to whine about. I know. I’ve been to BEA (The Mother of All Bookseller/Author Conferences) many times.

And I’ve had a blast.

But like I said, I am NOT whining. I’ve been all over the place the last six months, met awesome booksellers and readers, and it is only fair that my publishers send other authors to enjoy the festival/celebration/frat party/book extravaganza that is BEA.

I am not whining, I swear.

I am pouting.

I can’t help it. There are SO MANY people I would love to hear again (looking at you, Sherman Alexie). I want to eat the frozen pastry at the Children’s Booksellers Breakfast. I want to sprain my ankle on the convention floor. I want to stay up too late and get up to early.

:poutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpoutpout::

In the best tradition of middle school social dynamics, I have decided to host my OWN party. If you are going to BEA, you are SO not-invited.

The party starts now and goes through the weekend. I am calling it the BEA 09 Pout-a-Thon.

If you are stuck at home, turning that vivid shade of envy-green, consider yourself invited.

How do we make this happen? A couple of things. I think I’ll be making LOTS of little blog posts through the weekend. Chime in the comments section. Pretend that you are having coffee or a glass of cheap wine with me at one of those parties. Ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask. You might have to ASK LOUDLY, because the room is already filling up and it’s hard to hear ANYTHING!

I’ll also be chattering on my Twitter feed all weekend.

There is on ongoing conversation at Meebo (see below):

http://www.meebo.com/rooms

There is a BEA Twitty Party going on. Sign up and hit that one, too. Yes, it is much along the lines of my Pout-a-Thon, but trust me, there is more than one party going on BEA, so we need more than one party for us stuck-at-homes.

The dress code is casual, friends. I’ll be wearing pajamas and a sweatshirt.

Will you join me? Tell all your friends, wake the neighbors, and be sure to bring your dogs and cats.

The party starts ………………………. NOW!!!!

67 Replies to “No, I’m not at BEA. Yes, I’m pouting. Join me?”

  1. *pout*

    Ooh, the first comment. I’ll totally be joining the Pout-a-thon. After attending my first BEA last year, I’m completely addicted—and stuck in Utah. Sigh.

  2. small comfort

    I am glad I don’t have to deal with jet lag to attend this party.

  3. I’m wearing my pajamas, and I’m stuck at home. Not at BEA. *drinks her breakfast juice sadly*

  4. Pout-a-Thon

    Now THIS makes me happy! I’m finally invited to something!

    signed,
    lives in NYC, has unlimited-ride Metrocard, and STILL not going to BEA.

  5. Boston Twitty Party

    We are pouting and partying in Boston at Porter Square Books this Sunday, 5.31 at 2 p.m. Lauren Macleod will be talking trends in YA/MG, we’ll share tips about social media, we’ll clink coffee cups, and talk books, books, and more books. Everyone who is sulking in the Boston area is invited! Thanks for inspiring us, Laurie!

  6. Stuck at home, too. I’ll admit I’d never heard of BEA until now, but it sounds awesome for a writer/reader like me. And between Friday after school and Tuesday morning I have nada going on in my life. (Monday is a bank holiday here.) So I’m joining the Pout-A-Thon. *pouts*

    How long before Forge is available? Because as I already told you once, on facebook, I really, really, really loved Chains. It’s touched me and most books that people say “will stay in your mind long after you’ve finished reading the last page” don’t stay in my mind.

    Chains did. It was so emotionally powerful, gut-wrenchingly sad and heart-leapingly strong. I cannot wait to get my hands on Wintergirls. But I’ve already bought so many new books recently that I can’t buy it yet.

    -Kayleigh

    PS: Even if I had known about BEA early enough to book it and money to buy the plane ticket, I couldn’t have gone. Why? I’m in France. I can’t wait to get out of this… *mutters insults* The irony here is that I’m French.

    Okay. Enough rambling. Sorry for the length, but at least it’s not written “lIeK th!s! OMG!!!”. (Writing that hurt me.) Done now.

    Really.

  7. I’m def part of this pout-a-thon! I recently sold my first book but am still way too far out to do anything promotion-wise. Still, so many of my writer-friends are there, but it’s clear across the country for me…pajamas it is! Oh, and wine. Now where is that wine…(no prob that it’s 8 am).

  8. pouting author

    I didn’t attend BEA even when my first book came out! For shame. I am jealous, though. I enter my pout to the party!

  9. I am with my 1 year old wiping food stains off my shoulder. And I’m only a short drive away! Me and BEA will have to wait another year or two.

  10. I’m in on the pouting! I’ve got my pout perfected and ready. The pajamas will have to wait until I get home from work this afternoon because for some reason my day job frowns on PJs. *pout* See? I’m pouting already!

  11. Seeing as how I’m a Maryland girl, I’ve decided to bring hard crabs to this shin dig. If you need lessons on opening them, let me know. Usually I’m a wine drinker but crabs require beer. Killians all around!

  12. Pouting in Montana

    It’s lonely here, and my coffee will not last long enough. I’m going to try to console myself with ARC of Catching Fire, but will do so knowing that there are many more amazing ARCs and even live people (live book people really exist?!) who I may never meet because I’m not at BEA.

    :pout:

    Oh, the life of an independent bookseller in the wilderness that is Montana. Will someone please refill my coffee? If you do, then I’ll put a kettle on for your tea. It’s nice to know I’m not alone in my loneliness.

  13. Re: Boston Twitty Party

    Pouting in Beantown!!! I shall lift my coffee cup to the East at 2pm on Sunday!

  14. Pouting in France! Yay!! Bienvenue!

    Inbetween pouts, I am diving back into my research for FORGE. If all goes well, it should be published in the fall of 2010.

    Thanks for joining us, Kayleigh.

  15. Wine tastes so good when one is wearing pajamas. Just think of all those poor authors at BEA who have to wear grown-up clothes and shoes that pinch.

    Really, we’re the lucky ones.

  16. I’m here too!

    I was planning to go to BEA, but my son’s school scheduled their Medieval Fair for the same day and I couldn’t abandon him. Instead, I’ll be wearing a very pathetic costume I sewed myself and selling brownies for beans.

    Pouting and proud!

    🙂

  17. pouting in Boise

    We’re doing library inventory and watching the National Spelling Bee. I’m sitting at my desk, looking at lists of “lost” copies. I’m eatng celery sticks out of my office refrigerator and pretending they came off a platter at an author reception or publisher’s hospitality room. ::pout:: (bookhouseboy on twitter)

  18. Pouting in California.

    Didn’t go to BEA when Hugging the Rock came out and should have. Pout.

    Now I wonder if BEA will still be around when my next book comes out. Pout.

    Wishing I was there now. Pout.

    Next round of coffee is on me. I brought some virtual chocolate too. Richard Donnelly’s, of course. (http://www.donnellychocolates.com/)

  19. Re: I’m here too!

    You are a very good mommy, and that is the most important thing of all.

    I hope you make yourself an extra tray of brownies.

  20. Re: pouting in Boise

    Hello Boise!!

    Make sure the celery sticks are dry and stringy. Limp bits of broccoli will add a realistic touch, too.

    Be sure to eat cookies at 10pm. There are several dessert parties thrown by publishers each evening.

  21. 😛 to immigration red tape

    If I’d known I’d have my temporary resident visa by this weekend, I would’ve joined all the book bloggers headed even as I type. I could’ve used BEA as my “run around the flagpole” to re-enter Canada & get my permanent resident status. And met a bunch of online friends. And shared in all the book love.

    But I can’t pout now. I have to make a cake and then go volunteer at the brain injury society. I’ll be back to join in the pouting later!

  22. Oh man!

    This is my first signing at BEA for my first novel. I live in NYC so no major splurge on behalf of my publisher, otherwise I would whine away instead of wining away with bad booze. KNOW you are all there in spirit…the best books of the year are always discussed and there will be many a LHS fan roaming the conference floor.

  23. Re: ???

    Nope. But you’ll have to show ID to buy any of the bad wine. Stick with the tea – it tastes much better.

  24. Re: 😛 to immigration red tape

    By volunteering at the brain injury society, you automatically become the Finest Person NOT attending BEA this year.

    We will be waiting for your return.

  25. Re: Oh man!

    You know, we almost didn’t let you in, but then you went it got all sweet and kind and professional, so….. shhhh, you can hang out here, too.

    Be sure to report back with your impressions of everything. I know lots of people here would love all the details!

    And congratulations!

  26. Will there be petits fors at this party?

    I really like those. Not the kind from Swiss Colony, though. Oh, unless you don’t have any better ones.

    Here’s my pout. At least you’ve BEEN to BEA in your lifetime. Not me! Poutpoutpout.

  27. I’m not at BEA though I wouldn’t say I’m pouting (since my book isn’t even out yet). Not that I wouldn’t love to go gawk at all the writers whose work I love.

    But yeah, I’m happy to sit around the house in my sweats and eat chips, in between revising my current project!

  28. Puttin’ on the Pout in Plattsburgh

    Oh pooh – I’m probably not professional enough to pout properly, as my promising premiere piece of prose is in a pile somewhere or possibly a pigeonhole. I’m in pajamas, with port.

  29. Pouting in Brooklyn

    My first book is out this year, and I could WALK to BEA (well, walk to the subway, anyway), and I still didn’t get invited!! (pout, pout)

  30. No BEA for me this year…18 months of unemployment and I’m lucky I can still afford groceries 🙂 Didn’t know about the party, so ate cake in bed. Now at least there will be others to wallow with.

  31. Re: Will there be petits fors at this party?

    I pout with you in solidarity.

    A pox on Swiss Colony. Pteuie!

  32. Aw, thanks. It would be cool to go to BEA someday.

    In the meantime, I’ll have my husband whip up some guacamole. He makes wonderful guacamole from scratch. I’ll chat with some party-goers and then go wrestle chapter 4 into submission. I mean, revise chapter 4 in an elegant and professional manner.

  33. Pout Love in SLC

    This is perfect! My entire writers group is at BEA–next week I’ll be the one bragging to them about the great time I had! Plus, I’ll let them know that unlike the time you read at the King’s English Bookstore, this week I had unlimited chat time with THE LHA. Beat that, BEA suckers!

  34. This is the closest I’ll ever get to the BEA, and actually the closest I’d ever want to get to it (solitary curmudgeon I am), so your invitation is much appreciated.

    For everyone out there in their pajamas, I offer our own keynote speaker: Lawrence Block.

    He writes mysteries (and my favorite book on writing – Telling Lies for Fun and Profit) and you can check him out at the 2004 National Book Festival here.

    I recommend listening from the 14 minute mark to the 23 minute mark, in which he discusses his own days of professional pouting.

  35. Still pouting. I not only have BEA envy. I have ALA envy. My publisher only wants their authors attending ALA for one of two reasons: As an invited speaker (which I have done), or if ALA is in their state. ALA was scheduled to be in my state next year, 2010, in Orlando, and they actually MOVED IT to Washington DC. Why? Because Orlando is too HOT? Washington in summer is actually worse.

  36. Grad party suggestions

    I am thrilled to be invited to the pout-a-thon. I would love to be at Book-Expo. I’ve only attended one but met Christopher Moore, got an autographed print of a For Better or For Worse scene from Lynn Johnston, and got a Polaroid picture taken with Meg Cabot in a gown and tiara while sipping a glass of champagne for a Princess Diaries event at the booth. I want more…

    Instead I spent today at graduation parties. Good times, but I have to throw my daughter’s grad party later this month. What would you serve (besides Grandma Brown’s baked beans?)or suggest for the party? I looked online for ideas and saw a suggestion for playing pin the mustache on the teacher with a poster photo.

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