Book Group Expo | Fizzy Thoughts

to FoB or not to FoB

26 April 2009

If you have read any of these blogs (Tracy at Shelf Life, Trish at Hey, Lady, Whatcha Readin’?, Lisa at Books on the Brain, Amy at My Friend Amy, Ti at Book Chatter and other stuff, Natasha at Maw Books Blog, Florinda at The 3 R’s, Wendy at Musings of a Bookish Kitty and her husband Anjin) you’ve probably heard by now that I spent the weekend at the Los Angles Times Festival of Books (hereafter to be referred to as FoB).

I’m still exhausted.

Later this week I’ll be posting about all of the panels I attended, but today I’m going to compare the FoB to the only other large book event I’ve been to, the Book Group Expo (BGE) in San Jose.

First, the FoB. This event is truly massive. While I knew there would be thousands of people there, I underestimated how exhausting it is to be in that big of a crowd. The FoB is a mix of author panels (maybe 20-30 each day to choose from), event stages (with chefs, music, children’s entertainment, and Bob Barker to name a few) and hundreds of vendor booths (everything from food to books to crafts to Dianetics to people with a cause). The FoB takes place on the UCLA campus, and it is spread out, so there is a lot of walking (good), but also much elbowing of your way through crowds (bad…at least for this small town girl).

BGE, on the other hand, is a much smaller event. With only a few hundred attendees, it is contained within a small area of the San Jose Convention Center. There are author panels (called salons) and vendor booths, but it is all on a much smaller scale.

I would say the FoB focuses on books while BGE focuses on reading. This is a sweeping generalization, but I think it’s a good way to characterize the two events. Since the FoB is in Los Angeles, there were lots of celebrity authors (Alyssa Milano and Henry Winkler to name just two) and speakers, as well as a large number of LA-based authors. I’m also guessing a large number of attendees were there just to see these speakers, or for the events in the children’s area or on the cooking stage. There were also a large number of authors I had never heard of (this isn’t a bad thing; I’m just mentioning this to compare it to BGE).

Since BGE targets book groups, the chance of knowing many of the authors is greater. You certainly do not have to be in a book group to attend (I’m not, and I’ve enjoyed both years that I’ve attended). BGE is a more intimate experience. The salons are smaller (in one case last year, there were only 20 of us) and you feel like you are part of the discussion. Both events allow for questions, but at BGE the chance of an author remembering you when you later have your book signed is much greater. There is also the occasional opportunity to engage an author in conversation. I’d say BGE is an enjoyable experience, and for book bloggers, it is potentially more productive if you are looking to make connections with authors. Last year at BGE, there was also some representation from the publishing industry. However, that might not continue (it’s not really geared towards publishers) so I wouldn’t plan on attending for that reason. However, I didn’t really see the publishers at FoB, either.

Since I live equal distances from both events (it’s a 3 ½ hour drive to UCLA and a 3 hour drive to San Jose) and I live in an area with a deplorable lack of bookish events, it is totally worth it for me to attend both (hey, I live in California…we’re used to driving!). And unless something comes up, I do plan on going to the FoB again next year. But I look forward to BGE even more.

So…you all need to join us this year! The highlight of FoB was meeting some of my fellow book bloggers. And now Trish and I are campaigning to get more of you to attend the Book Group Expo. Check out the Book Group Expo website to subscribe to updates and find out when it will happen. We’d love to see you there

bge to FoB or not to FoB

Who By Fire

24 November 2008

Who By Fire

Diana Spechler

September 2008

344 pages

This is the last time (maybe) I’m going to gloat about being at the Book Group Expo. But before I talk about Who By Fire I need to talk about one of the salons at the Expo. The opening salon on Saturday featured two authors, Andre Dubus III (the House of Sand and Fog dude, who I recognized only because I never finished his book) and Diana Spechler, who I had never heard of before. So you know, honestly, I wasn’t expecting much. But during the discussion Diana proved herself to be funny and able to poke fun at herself and also the author of a book I was starting to think I needed to read. So fast forward a few hours to me buying the book and then running over (okay, it was a fast walk) to have it signed. And then Trish was there and we talked about blogging and Diana’s (and Trish’s!) upcoming birthdays. And before I knew it, it was the evening and I had a lovely email from Diana about how it was great to meet me (*swoon*) and how she’d like to maybe do something to feature her book on my blog.

And after reading her book, this turned out to be no hardship at all. None. The only reason I haven’t posted about the book sooner is because I did a couple of other tours earlier this month and I didn’t want to do back to back to back author posts. I wanted Diana’s book to have some space, so to speak. Because this one is going on my list of favorites for 2008. Seriously. I’m not just being nice, because I think we’ve established that that’s just not the way I roll.

Now, onto Who By Fire. It’s got lots of elements I like in a book. There are interesting characters, there’s humor (but also seriousness), there are references to popular culture (guaranteed to make me happy), it didn’t make me scratch my head and wonder what the hell, and yet it also told me about things I didn’t even know existed (yeshivas anyone?). All that and an engaging story to boot.

So, what’s it about? It’s about a family torn apart by the kidnapping of its youngest child. The kidnapping, however, is not the focus of the book…it just sets the stage. Years later, we see how the kidnapping has affected the lives of the rest of the family. Ellie, the mom, is…well, she’s kind of indescribable, without resorting to the stereotype of a Jewish mother. Bits, the eldest child, turned into the Whore of Babylon (her brother’s description, and one of my favorite lines from the book). And Asher, the son, has been searching for most of his life. Only thing is, he may not really know what he’s searching for (and apologies for sounding a bit like a U2 song there). Bits and Ellie certainly don’t think he knows what he’s doing, because he ran off to Israel to study at a yeshiva, and he won’t even talk to them when they call. Ellie and Bits respond to this decision in different ways, setting in motion events that will change their family.

I found myself continuously pulling for the characters, despite the dumb-ass decisions they kept making. At first, I didn’t even like them that much. By that, I don’t mean I didn’t like their fictional existence, but that I didn’t think I’d like them if they were real people, if that makes any sense. But after awhile, they grew on me, and by the end of the book I didn’t want them to go away. In fact, I wanted to give them all hugs. Well, except for Ellie…I’m still pissed at her.

Diana Spechler turns 30 next year…so give her an early birthday present and go buy her book.

And tomorrow, the author herself will be here to post about all the gloriousness of being a published author.

Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe

9 November 2008

Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe
Jennie Shortridge
May 2008
400 pages

Tomorrow, as part of TLC Book Tours, I’m a tour stop for Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe. I read Love and Biology a few months ago, but I’ve been unable to write about it. I was thinking I’d have this post written well in advance. Hah! So much for being an over-achiever. It’s not that I didn’t like the book…far from it. I just didn’t know what to say, because it deserves so much more than it was good, you should read it. And also because I wasn’t sure what I really thought about the main character. In fact, she’s still making me think. So I’m going to start with the author, not the book.

You see, last month I had the pleasure of meeting Jennie Shortridge at the Book Group Expo. She is bubbly and enthusiastic, and so easy to talk to. I could go on and on about the author, but this is supposed to be about her book. Except that Jennie is easy to gush about…I am now a huge fan, and not just because she introduced Trish and me to Garth Stein and his twinkly eyes. Jennie, I’d still be gushing about you even if you hadn’t introduced us to Garth!

Jennie appeared at the Book Group Expo as part of the Wedlocked salon, with other authors who had written books about marriage. As part of the conversation, Jennie explained that she wanted to write about the worst thing that could happen in a marriage…and what would happen.

Love and Biology is about Mira, a woman settled into her life and marriage. She has arranged her life perfectly. She teaches at the local high school, has remodeled her house to her specifications, is surrounded by friends and family, and is happy with her husband. Her relationship with her daughter may not be what she wishes, but all-in-all, life is good. Then whammo…Mira is blindsided. In shock, she flees her marriage and her life, and finds herself in Seattle, working at a coffee shop. There, she looks back at her life and wonders how she became so complacent and settled. What happened to the young, passionate college student? And in reflecting on her past, Mira rediscovers herself.

I thought about this book for a long time after I finished it. Mira made some decisions that I’m still questioning, but as Jennie said at the Book Group Expo, Love and Biology ends with hope. I enjoyed reading about Mira’s journey.

Read the first chapter of Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe.
And check out the soundtrack for the book.

And stop back by tomorrow when Jennie will be here to talk about marriage.

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Stop by the other TLC tour stops for Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe here:

Saturday, November 1st: Estella’s Revenge e-zine (author interview)
Monday, November 3rd: Booking Mama (review)
Tuesday, November 4th: Booking Mama
Wednesday, November 5th: She is Too Fond of Books
Friday, November 7th: Curly Wurly Gurly
Friday, November 7th: Curly Wurly Gurly (review)
Monday, November 10th: Fizzy Thoughts
Wednesday, November 12th: Tripping Toward Lucidity
Friday, November 14th: Literarily
Monday, November 17th: Shelf Life
Wednesday, November 19th: Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Friday, November 21st: Bookshipper
Monday, November 24th: Minds Alive on the Shelves
Wednesday, November 26th: Book Addiction
Sunday, November 30th: B & b ex libris

The Heretic’s Daughter

5 November 2008

The Heretic’s Daughter
Kathleen Kent
September 2008
352 pages

I occasionally hop on my soapbox and rave about historical fiction, because I think it’s the greatest thing for the study of history since DWMs (dead white males) lost their dominion over the subject. Whenever someone mentions Lisa See I always blather on about how I learn so much more from her books than any old stuffy historical text. I feel the same way about C.W. Gortner’s The Last Queen. And now, I can add Kathleen Kent to my list of authors that do an exceptional job of evoking the mood and feel of a time period.

The Heretic’s Daughter is the story of the Carrier family, and their life in Andover, Massachusetts in the late 1600’s, the period of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Sarah Carrier is our young narrator, and her world is bleak and hard. Her family struggles to work the land, survive smallpox, and deal with judgmental neighbors and avaricious family members. Added to this is the constant scrutiny by the community, particularly the religious leaders. Everyone is expected to attend Sunday meeting, and failure to attend is not looked favorably upon. Because the Carrier family is considered troublesome (they are accused of bringing smallpox to Andover), and because a brother-in-law believes they have usurped family land that belongs to him, and because a former servant carries a grudge, and because Sarah’s mother, Martha, doesn’t always hold her tongue, the family is accused of witchcraft.

While this book is a fictional account of the Carrier family, there is no escaping the fact that Martha Carrier was in fact found guilty of being a witch. She was hung on August 19, 1692. Martha is to be admired for speaking out against her accusers, for which Cotton Mather labeled her a “rampant hag.” I’ll refrain from hopping on my other soapbox and talking about men who feel threatened by strong women.

While I loved the book, it was not easy to read. In fact, I stopped reading it for about a week, as the world of the Puritans was just too grim. However, after I saw the author speak at the Book Group Expo, I picked the book back up and finished it in what seemed like no time.

Kathleen Kent is currently working on her second novel, which will tell the story of Thomas Carrier, Sarah’s father…who was supposedly the executioner of Charles I of England.

To read more about The Heretic’s Daughter, as well as the author and her connection to Martha Carrier, check out this website.

Woo-hoo!

30 October 2008

If you read my post about the Book Group Expo, then you know that Trish and I met Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain. In fact, we had dinner with him (and Joshua Henkin), not that I’m name dropping or gloating or anything like that. Okay, so maybe I am…but there’s a point to this story!

So, are you sitting down? Because this next part is so exciting (okay, it was exciting for Trish and me)…Garth Stein wrote a guest post for Book Club Girl about his experience at Book Group Expo. And he mentioned Trish and me. By name (I told you I answer to softdrink). With links to our blogs.

We’re mentioned in the 5th paragraph, if you want to skip right to the good part.

Dude, is that not the coolest thing? Ever?

And if that doesn’t convince you to attend the Book Group Expo next year, I don’t know what will.

Chapter Three of the Book Group Expo

29 October 2008

Thanks for all of your well wishes. Unfortunately, I’ve still got the head cold from hell…if anyone knows of a doctor who will perform a head and lung transplant, please let me know.

However, I have moved past the “kleenex in hand at all times” stage of the cold, so I’m back to blogging. You have probably already seen Trish‘s and Wendy’s posts about the Book Group Expo, so I’m pretty much old news at this point. But oh well…I’m still gonna gush, because I had a terrific time.

And to prove to you how much of a dork about books I really am, I will first confess to getting up at 4:30am on a Saturday morning. I was on the road at 5:45am for the 3 hour drive to the San Jose Convention Center, site of Chapter Three of the Book Group Expo. Here are some of the highlights from the two days:

I met Trish. Who seemed to like me. Thank god.
The first author panel consisted of Diana Spechler and Andre Dubus. When Trish and I ran into Andre later, we both confessed to hating House of Sand and Fog. And he seemed okay with that. Diana Spechler just published her first novel (and she’s not even 30 yet!), Who By Fire. Stay tuned for my review of her book…and a possible guest post from the author.
The second salon that I went to was Historical Friction. I chose this salon because I totally loved C.W. Gortner’s book The Last Queen, and he was on the panel, along with Maggie Anton (Rashi’s Daughters) and Gail Tsukiyama (The Street of 1000 Blossoms). Memorable moments from this salon include Gail stating she wrote about the sumo culture because she “likes big guys in diapers” and C.W. answering a question that I asked about how he felt at the end of his book, since he couldn’t change Juana’s ultimate fate. He asked me how I felt, and I said I cried…he said he did, too. He added that he couldn’t bear to continue her story, and that was why he ended the book at that point.
The third salon for Saturday was Which Witch is Which, with Brunonia Barry (The Lace Reader), Kathleen Kent (The Heretic’s Daughter) and Erika Mailman (The Witch’s Trinity). Again, I had the opportunity to ask a question and I asked if they had any input in the cover art and how they felt about the covers of their books. The best response came from Kathleen Kent, who said that the girl on the cover of The Heretic’s Daughter is from a photo she found in a box. It was taken in 1910 and is of a Latvian girl. She kept the photo pinned up above her desk when writing the book. Since I adore the cover of her book (it’s so haunting), I thought it was so cool to learn its origins. And I just finished the book this week, so there will be a review sometime in the next week. Also, Michelle Gagnon moderated this panel…I met her afterwards (she witnessed the squealing that was the meeting of Trish, Wendy and me) and she was great fun to talk to.
The final salon I attended on Saturday was Bibliotherapy, with Ann Packer, Julia Glass and Dr. Irving Yalom. Despite the presence of two well-known authors, I didn’t find this salon to be as interesting as the others. I did learn that Julia Glass was an artist before she was an author.
I met Wendy. And her husband Kip, who took this wonderful photo…

book+group+expo Chapter Three of the Book Group Expo From left to right, it’s Trish, me, author/moderator Michelle Gagnon and Wendy

Saturday evening I got to hang out with Jennie Shortridge, Garth Stein and Joshua Henkin. Seriously. Thanks to Carol Fitzgerald from Bookreporter.com, who organized cocktails and dinner, I had the opportunity to meet these wonderful authors and feel like I was in the presence of royalty. I could go on and on, but I won’t. I did, however, buy Garth’s and Joshua’s books the next day…something I never would have done had I not had dinner with them.
Saturday night I also stayed at the St. Claire, which had the most comfiest bed I’ve slept in since the one time I got to stay at the Sheraton in Sacramento.
Sunday morning started with a panel consisting of Garth Stein (The Art of Racing in the Rain), Van Jones (The Green Collar Economy…which I would totally read if I read books like that) and Kristin Billerbeck (who writes Christian chick lit).
Next up was Wedlocked, with Joshua Henkin (Matrimony), Jennie Shortridge and Sylvia Brownrigg. I went to this salon because I’ve read Jennie Shortridge’s Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe. In fact, I will be blogging about it on November 10th, as part of a TLC Book Tour. So I’ll be talking more about this panel then.
The third salon for Sunday was Makin’ Whoopee, featuring Mary Roach (Stiff and Bonk), Karen Abbott (Sin in the Second City), Melanie Abrams (Playing) and Douglas Abrams (The Lost Diary of Don Juan). This was a hysterical discussion on writing about sex.
And last, All Abroad, which I attended because I’ve been wanting to read Finding Nouf. And if you’re wondering how to pronounce Nouf, the author informed us it rhymes with loaf. This panel consisted of Zoe Ferraris (author of Finding Nouf), Jana McBurney-Lin (My Half of the Sky), and John Nathan (Living Carelessly in Tokyo and Elsewhere). The moderator was David Corbett (Blood Of Paradise).

Whew. I don’t think I’ve ever put so many links in a post..but I didn’t want anyone to feel left out!

I’ll conclude with a comment from Joshua Henkin, who said he would love to see more bloggers at these events! So there you go…you should think about joining in the fun next year.