Heading Out To Book Expo America

Tomorrow morning, I’m flying out for Book Expo America in New York. I can’t even begin to say how excited I am for this. Those who have followed my writing journey know that this trip is nearly six years in the making, and even though the release date of the book will perhaps be an even bigger thing, this trip is the prologue to that day. Someone told me that my BEA appearance could be considered as my debut to the professional publishing world, a way of my publishers introducing me to the literary circles for the first time.

It was calmly explained to me that debut authors are not usually brought to BEA by their publishers, and that for my publishers to pay for my appearance there means quite a lot as to how much confidence they have in my success as a writer. The fact that I am even going to BEA overrules the many grueling years I expected I would have to go through as a debut author before I was even noticed. It’s one of those things I wish I could go back and tell my 14-year-old self would happen, back when I had just started on this book: tell myself that Bran Hambric would actually one day be a real book at Book Expo America six years later.

It feels funny now, because for years I’ve wondered what it would feel like before something like this, though I didn’t really imagine I would get to experience the feeling myself. So, for those of you who, like me, searched every author’s manual at the library for the answers about how it feels when you finally Get There, I’ll say it’s really like delicious anxiety: something you’re slightly afraid to do but you enjoy the sheer naive nervousness of at the same time. Should I bring my own signing pen? If I wear a suit will I be overdressed? Will anyone even show up at my BEA signing? What happens if I sign a book wrong? Is it bad if my autograph doesn’t look exactly the same every time? Any experienced author knows these answers. I do not, because this is my first time. But perhaps by this time next year, after I’ve signed a countless number of books at stores and events across the country, the same thing will happen then, and I’ll wish I could go back and tell me something grand and glorious now.

If you are an author or a bookseller or anyone who is planning to be at BEA, I would love to meet you. I will be hovering around the booths early Friday morning, and then at the Sourcebooks booth (#3977) at 11:00 AM. I will be attending a luncheon and other events throughout the day as well.

Those of you who can’t make the event: I will have lots of video and photos from the signing and the Expo. If there are a few free minutes one of the nights, I will try to broadcast a live BlogTV show from New York. I won’t have much internet access, but I will post on my Twitter if/before that happens. Wish me luck!

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