11 June 2014

An Introvert's Guide to BEA

If you saw the #TalkWriting Web Chat about Introverts and Extroverts in Publishing last February, then you know I’m not only a severe introvert, but I have a sometimes-paralyzing fear of people. You also probably know that I’m working to overcome the shyness by challenging myself to stretch beyond my comfort zone a little bit each day. And that I generally manage to balance my desire to meet new people with my need for alone time with a whole host of coping techniques.
May 2014 provided ample opportunities to stretch beyond my comfort zone and put my introvert-in-an-extroverted-world coping strategies to the test, as I attended the Romantic Times Booklover’s Convention in New Orleans AND Book Expo America in New York.

Yesterday, I shared my Lessons Learned at RT, and today give you my Introvert’s Guide to BEA.

 
Tip #1: Bring your “security blanket” with you. 
 You know how Linus (Charlie Brown’s best friend) is always carrying that crazy, blue blankie around with him? He takes a lot of teasing about it, but that thing gives him a shot of strength and courage when he needs it most. Find something (or someone) that gives you a similar shot of confidence and don’t be afraid to bring it with you.
http://vbartles.com/knit.htm
Knitting with Plarn (plastic yarn) is my go-to stress reliever in social situations. I always have my knitting with me.
I carried my knitting needles and a ball of plarn (yarn made from recycled plastic bags) with me, and yes, I did knit while standing in the long, book-signing lines. And on the subway, when I was feeling a bit out-of-my-element.


Tip #2: Bring a friend.
Hanging out with super-agent, Jessica Sinsheimer
It might seem counter-intuitive, because common wisdom says that introverts like to be alone. But often, having a close friend at your side – the kind of friend who knows you so well that they feel like an extension of yourself – can make even the most overwhelming situations bearable. Even enjoyable.




Tip #3: Plan ahead. 
with Kelsey Macke, author of DAMSEL DISTRESSED
 Before the conference, you can see a schedule that includes a list of most authors who will be signing at the event. Make a list of all the authors you absolutely have to meet, and all of the authors you’d love to meet, if you get a chance. I knew I had to meet my agent sister, Kelsey Macke, in person  and snag an advance copy of her fabulous book, DAMSEL DISTRESSED. And of course I had to catch up with Jason Wright, the amazing author who, back in 2009, encouraged me to keep writing when I felt like giving up.

with Jason F. Wright, author of THE CHRISTMAS JARS
I had so many other authors on my I-want-to-meet-these-fabulous-writers list (I know I’ll leave someone out, so I’m not going to try to list them all), but I knew there was no way I could possibly fit them all in. So I made a schedule of when each would be signing, and any time I was near the exhibit hall, I would go looking for the authors on my wish list. I missed many of the official signings, but I did manage to catch up with and give hugs to a lot of my favorite people!

at Chelsea Market, with awesome CP, Ashley

Carli

The introvert & the extrovert: Me & Connor

Danielle

Jackie
Jessica and Kristin
Joanne & Karen
Megan
Melissa

Rachel, Summer, Jessica, Me & Dee

Summer & Rachel

Taryn


Tip #4: Don’t try to do it all at once.

 One of the best parts of BEA is the exhibit floor, with rows and rows of publisher booths, where you can meet some of your favorite authors, get your hands on some pretty awesome ARCs, and make connections with all kinds of readers, bloggers, writers and publishing professionals. But the crowds can be overwhelming for an introvert.
And after an hour or two, it can leave you totally drained. But if you take it a few minutes at a time, it’s kind of fun, even exciting, to be a part of it all. Pop into the exhibit hall for 30 minutes or an hour. Stand in line to meet your favorite author and spend some time gushing about their latest book.
I even got my picture taken with Ernest Hemingway!!

The autographing area at BEA can be overwhelming, but it's very organized, and not as intimidating as it appears.
 

 Or discover a new favorite! 
Brandon Mull

Molly Idle
Then, give yourself permission to come out for some air. Grab a snack. Meet up with some friends. Attend a panel.


Tip #5: Plan to arrive early.
The exhibit floor was relatively empty early in the day, with increasing crowds as the day wore on. You may have the best opportunities to chat with your favorite publishing people when the doors first open, before the rush of the crowds. Arriving early is also great advice for any of the panels on your schedule.
YA Buzz Panel - We got a seat right next to the table with the ARCs - Score!
Getting to the room half an hour early will allow you to relax and take a breath – to recharge a bit – before the room fills up with people. Also, you’ll be able to get the best seats when you beat the crowds, and you avoid the danger of not getting into the panel you really wanted to see. (Sometimes, the panels fill up and they have to turn people away. When they hit maximum capacity on the room, they are no longer allowed to let people in for safety reasons.)


Tip #6: You don’t have to do it all.
Once you have a plan (see Tip #3), give yourself permission to walk away from the craziness whenever there’s a break in your schedule. Leave the convention center entirely and take in some of the sights. Sample some of the amazing food New York City has to offer.
Amazing vegan cuisine at Gobo - it really is "food for the five senses!"

With food this delicious, it's a good idea to bring a friend with similar tastes. You can share!

Gourmet mac-n-cheese - Yum!
Take a walk on the High Line.

Go see a Broadway show.

Jessica is the best agent ever! She surprised me with tickets to see MATILDA, my new favorite musical!
The best parts of your trip might happen outside the official BEA scheduled events.


Tip #7: Just say no.


If the thought of BookCon (the one day truly open to the general public – a day when even arriving first thing in the morning won’t guarantee small crowds) makes you cringe, you don’t have to go. If all of your friends are going out on the town after a very full day, but you just want to curl up in your fuzzy pajamas and read that ARC you’ve been dying to get your hands on, you can stay in. If you have plans to stand in line to meet your favorite author in the whole wide world, but by the time her signing rolls around, you’re totally exhausted, it’s okay to sit that one out. Really. You’ll survive. And you’ll probably be happier if you don’t try to do it all. Or if you take some time to do what you want.
Best day ever! Candy frogs from Dylan's Candy Bar, MATILDA, and then Macarons with Jessica & Kelsey!
It's probably a good thing I didn't have extra room in my suitcase. I could have spent way too much money at Mood Fabrics!

Giant button and needle - only in New York City!

Even the staircase at Dylan's Candy Bar is sweet!
 
Had to visit the Julliard store, for my daughter who plans to go there someday.

A trip to New York isn't complete without visiting Lady Liberty
Best part about BEA? Spending so much time with my fabulous agent, Jessica, and still not being ready to say goodbye when it was time to go home!

10 June 2014

Lessons Learned at the RT Booklover's Convention

If you saw the #TalkWriting Web Chat about Introverts and Extroverts in Publishing last March, then you know I’m not only a severe introvert, but I have a sometimes-paralyzing fear of people. You also probably know that I’m working to overcome the shyness by challenging myself to stretch beyond my comfort zone a little bit each day. And that I generally manage to balance my desire to meet new people with my need for alone time with a whole host of coping techniques.

May 2014 provided ample opportunities to stretch beyond my comfort zone and put my introvert-in-an-extroverted-world coping strategies to the test, as I attended the Romantic Times Booklover’s Convention in New Orleans AND Book Expo America in New York.

There’s just too much amazing to fit into one post, so I’m breaking it into two parts. Today, I’ll share the Lessons I Learned from RT, and tomorrow, I’ll give you my Introvert’s Guide to BEA.

Lesson #1: Everything is easier when you’re with friends.

Brenda Drake and I coordinated our trips so that we could fly out to New Orleans together, and the adventure began before we even left Albuquerque! While standing in line to check our bags at the airport, our phones rang with an update from the airline. The second leg of our flight (from Dallas to New Orleans) had been cancelled. And so our Planes, Trains and Automobiles journey to RT began!
A plane to Dallas …
 A train from one terminal to the other to catch our flight to Baton Rouge …

















... And a rental car to get us from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.



If I’d been alone, this whole ordeal would have been scary and overwhelming. With my best friend, it became an adventure, and a fun story to tell later.







Lesson #2: You really can create lasting, real-life friendships through social media.

The best part about RT was meeting so many of my fabulous Twitter friends in real life, and discovering that they are just as fabulous in person as they are online.









Plus, meeting my super-fabulous editor, Mandy Schoen, in person was worth the trip all by itself!

 Lesson #3: You must sample the fabulous local cuisine when visiting new places.

You can’t get the true New Orleans experience without sampling crawfish, bread pudding, jambalaya, Po’ Boy sandwiches or beignets. Or at least some of the above. The same rule applies to any fabulous city you may be visiting. So much of the experience is tied up in tastes. Try something you’ve never experienced before. Your taste buds will thank you for it later.



 Lesson #4: Even if the conference is jam-packed with awesome, it pays to skip out on a few things to take in the sights.

My favorite parts of the convention happened outside of the officially-scheduled programs. A late-night ghost tour with my friends, an impromptu visit to a graveyard, and watching the fabulous street performances on every corner. How sad would it be if I’d gone all the way to New Orleans and didn’t get to see any of the fabulous things the city had to offer?



Lesson #5: Be sure to balance your schedule, so you don’t miss the officially-scheduled events you came to experience.

The official RT convention schedule was so packed with fabulousness that I could have found something amazing to do every waking moment – without even leaving the convention hotel. And although I don’t regret the time I spent away from the official activities, I’m so glad I made it to so many of the official events. 


Lesson #6: Book signings are fun! (And a little bit overwhelming)

http://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Steps-Veronica-Bartles-ebook/dp/B00KH8VEZU/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1402425252&sr=8-10&keywords=twelve+steps
I had my very first official signing for TWELVE STEPS at the Giant Book Fair on Saturday morning.  The Giant Book Fair is aptly named. It was massive and chaotic, and a little bit panic-inducing, for an introvert like me. Luckily, I had fabulous authors sitting beside me to talk to when I got nervous about facing the crowds, and I had the presence of mind to bring along my knitting needles and a ball of plarn. In the lulls between waves of fans, I calmed my nerves by knitting a water bottle carrier.


I’d planned to use it as a giveaway to accompany this post, but alas, I dropped it somewhere in the FANtastic Day Party that evening, and although I went back to search for it as soon as I noticed it was missing, I wasn’t able to find it again. (I only hope that whoever did find the bag loves it!)


Lesson #7: Books are awesome. Free books are even better. But books are heavy.
One of the best things about RT was learning about all of the fabulous new books! I was super-excited to win a giant stack of books at the Entangled Publishing Candy & Spoons event, and I was thrilled to get multiple goody bags full of books and swag at nearly every event I attended. But when it came time to pack for the return trip home, I realized that it was physically impossible to fit all of my fabulous new books into my suitcase. I ended up giving away more than half of my books to be sent overseas for military personnel in need of reading materials, and I still had to check an extra bag for the remaining thirty-eight books in my stash. (A lot of my friends shipped boxes of books home, but I was so busy playing with my friends that I totally missed the opportunity to ship things. Lesson #7 ½ - Pay attention to when the closest mailing facilities are actually open, unless you actually have room in your suitcase for all of your books.)


Lesson #8: Remember to sleep sometimes. And take time to recharge.

It was a crazy week, full of non-stop excitement. There was so much to do, and there were so many people to see, that I think I slept an average of 4 hours a night. It was totally worth it (I have definite plans to do it again next year), but by the time I returned home at the end of the week, I was completely drained. In all of the excitement of meeting my fabulous online writer friends and promoting my book, (and meeting this lovely lady, who stopped me in the hall to let me know she'd read and loved TWELVE STEPS!!)

I had forgotten to follow all of my rules for surviving as an introvert in an extroverted industry, and believe me, I paid the price. I spent the week between RT and BEA mostly in bed, recuperating from all of the excitement.

Except for when I had to plan and pull off my daughter’s birthday party – a spa day/sleepover with 6 of her closest friends, including a cake shaped like an eye shadow compact.



As I boarded the plane for New York a week later, I promised myself that I’d pay close attention to my own needs, so I wouldn’t burn out this time around. And I mostly managed to do it, I think. (Come back tomorrow for my Introvert’s Guide to BEA!)