10.03.2009


Today was the last day of the NEIBA (New England Independent Bookseller's Association) trade show in Hartford, CT. I got to take a work trip down and see a lot of publisher representatives and meet an author or two. That was a lot of fun and definitely very interesting. The world of book buying and selling is really something else. Sometimes it is a little bit sad because, while we sell many of the books these publishers are marketing, a lot of what we sell is either a "remainder" (aka the publisher ordered too many made and they got sold off to wholesalers) or used. Of course we sell our fair share of new books but most of the ordering I do is from Amazon or Baker & Taylor. Thus we have no real direct relationship with the publisher. Sometimes this can make for awkward meetings.

Brittany: *Looking at interesting book*
Publishing rep: "Yes that is a good book blah blah, you should order some. Do you have an account with us?"
Brittany: "Um no actually we mostly sell used books I just want your free swag. Kthxbai."

Ok, Ok, so it doesn't go exactly like that but that's the gist of it.

At this book show, though, I managed to have a very small amount of awkward encounters. Mostly everyone was there for the free swag and ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies - get on the Acronym train, already!) so I wasn't exactly a minority. Most people were more interested in if they could have that particular copy of that book on that table that MAY be the only one at the whole show, than actually ordering the book for their store.

I got a lot of books that I've been wanting to read but haven't felt right taking the new copies I've ordered from the store just for myself...I got the new Terry Goodkind book, the new Scott Westerfeld book (my ultimate find. That book isn't out for another 3 days and I definitely intend to read and finish it before you even get to look at it in stores. Peon.), along with a lto of other wonderful things you can see in that picture.

Some things I am totally thrilled about and some things I totally snagged to make someone else happy on Paperbackswap.com. And I had a few friends in mind while I "shopped." They also had copies of "This is Not a Book" - which is a type of journal that I JUST BOUGHT TWO COPIES OF.... (one for me and one for Aj, I'm not some weirdo who has to have one copy unread... geeze. How little you think of me!) Well I should have known to follow my lifelong "Patience is a Virtue" motto... but how was I supposed to know I would come home with THAT MUCH SWAG? I mean sure, I definitely thought I'd come home with some books but not that many. Soon my fabric and my books are going to get into an epic battle and the results might be messy. Stay tuned.

In other news though the drive to CT was absolutely horrible and the drive back was worse. Rain rain rain!!!!! I could barely see through parts of it! I kept thinking "don't speed and don't wreck your car!" --- Made it home without any dents or disasters or close calls, so I'd call that a victory over weather.

Now, though, it's time for me to raid my pantry in search of soup and popcorn and settle down with So Yesterday so I can finish it and jump into Leviathan.

Labels: , , , ,


Brittany flutters @ 6:15 PM

9.02.2009

So today is the last day at work before I fly out of here to visit Rachelle in Springfield. I can't even capture in words how amazing it will be to see all of my school friends again, and how excited I am about all of the good food! To spice things up and make them even MORE exciting, I will also get to see my cousin Mia and maybe my aunt, uncle and grandfather. The thought of seeing so many people I miss is making me giddy, but the thought of flying is, for some reason, making me nervous. Now, I've never really been a nervous flier, so this is kind of confusing for me, but maybe it's that anticipation of FINALLY getting a nice vacation from work. I haven't had any sort of vacation from work since Christmas, and I think it is high time I take a break.

I am hoping the weather in Springfield is nice during the day, and I am secretly hoping to sneak in a few hours reading at the pool, but Hurricane Bill is messing up the seasons! It is always 50 here in the morning now, and the chilly breeze sticks around all day and makes the new Cardigans I got from Delia's very handy. It feels like the days of summer are gone and seeing the dogs fly off of the dock into the lake water has happened for the last time this year. Rather tragic. Nevertheless I am very excited about going to the Missouri State campus and raiding the book store for some new Bears Pride! sweatpants and other paraphernalia (what an oddly spelled word).

Believe me when I say I will be taking a plethora of photos and enjoying myself immensely! Tomorrow night I will be in a little bit of Springfield heaven. Until then, though, I am suffering through this day of work filled with irresponsible kids whose classes start tonight and they don't have their books. Lots of people wondering why we buy textbooks but don't have a huge store full of current edition texts. No one thinking of the practicality of the matter, only their own interests. Naturally, this is very frustrating. That and the phone ringing off the hook... But cest la vie, yes?

Vacation, here I come!

Labels: , , , , ,


Brittany flutters @ 2:17 PM

// Blogger