Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about topics that are unique to us. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.
Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers! If you want to participate just grab our button and include it in your post with a link to either Midnyte Reader or For What It's Worth. We will be providing a linky at the end of our posts so people can "hop" to see all the participants answers.
Question: BEA, ALA. Have you ever been before? If you've been before, share your experiences; both pro & con. If you haven't gone before, do you participate in online events like Armchair BEA? Do you hope to go one day? Do you feel too intimidated to go? Are you jealous of the big book hauls and tweets during the events? (question from Julie – My 5 Monkey’s)
I have been to BEA several times and the Mid-Winter ALA once. I love going. When I’m there in the midst of it I can get rather grumpy. The lines are killer and the days are long but once it’s over and I get to sleep for a few days I’m already looking forward to next year. If you’re looking for a nice way to chat with authors and calmly peruse books, BEA is not it. ALA was slightly calmer but it can get crazy too. Even so, I really enjoy going and have met wonderful people. You just have to go in with the right attitude and not worry about trying to get ALL the books.
The pros: Meeting other bloggers and getting to chat with authors and of course – the books!
The cons: LONG lines and aggressive people. Possibly the cost. Those free books aren't’ really free after you pay for flight/hotels/food etc.
I think Armchair BEA looks like a lot of fun and way more informative than the real thing. I sort of envy you guys who participate sometimes. You probably get to connect with each other more than those of us who attend the real thing.
I was incredibly intimidated the first year but once you figure out the layout and realize the authors are so nice (& even kind of nervous themselves) it’s easy. Most people worry most about not knowing anyone but that’s the LEAST of your problems. You will meet so many people while you’re stuck in line lol
Since I get the book hauls I can’t be jealous of anyone else lol Just speaking in general terms I don’t get jealous of book hauls. Life is too short to worry about what other people are doing and I always have too many books already anyway. Sometimes I get a little envious of people attending the Romantic Times convention. It seems to me that they actually have time to meet authors, attend awesome panels and spend time with each other. Not just running around like maniacs all day. That sounds lovely to me. Even if I didn’t get one book out of it.
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Hey everyone! Pam and I are a changing the frequency of Book Blogger Confessions to just the first Monday of every month. We’ll announce the next month’s topic at that time.
Question for Monday, July 1st:
Do you mind when authors re-tweet or comment on reviews? Does that intimidate you in any way in regards to review writing, knowing that they may be reading it?
Do author interactions - both pro or con - change how you view their work?
I like seeing what everyone gets :) To be honest, I understand the expense of these trips---they get pricey so the books/swag/ect is really an offset :)
ReplyDeleteMy "free" books cost thousands of dollars by the end of the week. lol Between the flights/hotel in NYC/food/shipping books home it adds up.
DeleteI have a great time though but yeah...not so much free.
It adds up! Even the "cheap" con I just went to that was $50 ended up costing around $1000 (hotel, flight, rental car, food, purchases) so the swag/books was just a bonus :)
DeleteExactly! Last year we were lucky an had enough points so are hotel was free but staying in NYC for a week is thousands of dollars.
DeleteIt's worth it though right?? I mean...the swag! lol
I WANT TO GO SOMEDAY!! But not BEA, I don't think I can handle that...maybe RT or ALA? If they accept regular reader, not just bloggers.
ReplyDeleteI like seening what people get, I go all "aaahh...oooohh, that one sounds interesting aaahhh" lol Everyone says, 'oh I'm jealous' but is not exactly that (at least not in my case) but just a saying haha. Something I can't wait to read.
Ana- I agree! There's no way you're saying that to be horrible! It's often comments that are more than that or just lack of interest which put people off. I love it when people ask me what I've hauled & it sort of inspires me to create a haul post. I don't get asked it much, thank goodness because I really don't acquire an amazing number of books :L
DeleteRomantic Times is definitely regular readers. Bloggers and librarians go but it's a fan event. I want to got o that one someday too. It's pretty expensive though.
DeleteI think the book hauls are fun. They introduce me to new authors/books. I wish we would get past the jealousy/bragging stuff. Because some people do brag but most of us are just sharing.
I like hearing everyone's experiences at Bea! i actually don't participate in armchair either.
ReplyDeleteArmchair BEA scares me. I would have to read books and write post all week lol
DeleteYou know me...the second I HAVE to do something I'm like....noooooooo haha
LOL hilarious! possibly why I haven't participated...
DeleteI'm not sure I will ever go to BEA. It's just so expensive and seems too crazy for me. I have considered ALA, but it would depend on location. I did go to RT this year and loved it. It was very organized and the attendees were all great. I will definitely do that again.
ReplyDeleteI'm not jealous of book hauls. I figure those who went paid a lot of money to go, so good on them!
It is crazy but you meet so many people that it's fun anyway. You have to go into it with the right frame of mind. Not just to get x amount of books.
DeleteFor me it's about visiting NYC and eating too lol so I don't mind the expense. I'm not sure I would attend if it was in a city I didn't enjoy.
Question. Does ALA change location?
ReplyDeleteAs you can see by my BBC I understand that in a way they have spent lots of money for those books. That's why it'd be sad for bloggers not to get one they'd really like (if some bloggers took duplicates, surely this is heard of?) more than anything!
Also, thanks Karen for proving BEA isn't "all that". I'm glad there aren't just pro's, I never thought they would be but this is a message often not delivered/heard! Sad :'(
Also, to everyone else I may not be able to comment as much today (revising) but hopefully will by Thursday at the latest. If you comment & I haven't feel free to kick me :P But still feel free to share your thoughts on my post here!
Thanks all, I look forward to checking out your posts :D
ALA changes location each year. (they also have a smaller mid-winter ALA) BEA has always been in NYC but it's my understanding that after next year they will start alternating between the West coast and NYC after that.
DeleteI admit that I got way too many books that first year. I thought I could read them no problem since I'm a fast reader but I quickly got overwhelmed. I made sure I read at least 50 books before even going this year.
This year I didn't see much greedy behavior but I have seen people grab 3-4 of the same book. I attend with my husband so duplicates are inevitable sometimes but I either gave them to another attendee that missed out or brought it back to the publisher.
BEA is so much fun. I love it but it's also long lines that can try your patience.
I don't get green with envy anymore.I totally get the expense of the trip. I would like to go one of them :)
ReplyDeleteWe ALL have too many books. No reason o be jealous right?
DeleteI hope we get to the same one sometime!
I LOVE seeing what everyone gets - I don't understand the envy/jealousy thing at all - if events like this didn't exist, how could we find out about all these awesome upcoming books?
ReplyDeleteI can imagine I'd probably get a bit grumpy during BEA too - I have NO patience of lines and waiting, but especially not for rude people!
I do too. It makes me excited for new books.
DeleteI love BEA. LOVE. But I can't lie - the lines are stress inducing and I have been known to get snappish lol
I really felt that the behavior was much better this year for everyone. I was impressed how smoothly things went.
To once every month sounds good, might be hard to think of subjects every month for you two
ReplyDeleteYes it is lol
DeleteI think about participating in Armchair BEA every year and end up not doing it. I would love to go to BEA just to meet some of the people I hear about and have some fun with them. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a lot of fun. This year I made a point of making meeting bloggers my priority rather than grabbing every book. That really is the best part anyway! I've made so many good friends from going to that con
DeleteI'm not envious, I swear ;). I do enjoy you guys' posts and live vicariously through them!
ReplyDeleteAlso, on a side note, I like that you and Pam have decided for a monthly meme, and will join next month's round :).
It is so true that the cost of either trip more than accounts for the books that you bring home. I am looking forward to attending ALA next week. I do hope to go to BEA, perhaps even next year. Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie, for the great question this time! I'm posting a little late, but as a librarian and a book blogger, this question was right up my alley. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting!