Though book fairs happen all year ’round, come autumn, they seem to get going with a vengeance. For mystery lovers, things get in motion with Bouchercon at the end of September.Internationally, the most important book fair is at Frankfurt, Germany. Frankfurt is the largest trade show for books in the entire world. In this, its 58th year, the Frankfurt Book Fair will feature more than 7,000 exhibitors displaying almost 400,000 books. There are 2,500 events programmed and the attendance of around 1,000 authors will make this fair “a cultural event of superlatives,” according to its director, Juergen Boos.
If you’re not already booked for Frankfurt, forget it: there’ll be no room at the inn by this point. However, all is not lost. You can still get a taste of that book fair feeling without ever leaving your own comfy computer at the first ever Online Bookfair, which runs through October 5 at the Love of Reading Web site.
An information page at the site sets the tone:
A cause for celebration and connection for the burgeoning online book community, the three-day fair has something for everybody--from booklovers to bloggers--according to Fauzia Burke, a pioneer in online book promotion and president of FSB Associates, host of the premiere event.Envisioned as a twice-yearly event, this first attempt feels somewhat sterile and corporate, or maybe it’s just that we’re missing the parties. Not a lot else is missing, however, with author interviews, “readings,” special features for book clubs, an open forum, a book cover contest, comments from selected lit bloggers, and other quasi book fair features. Best of all, though, there are no concrete floors to make your feet hurt.
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