Jammin’ at the Javits

This past weekend was my first experience at the annual BookExpo America (BEA), in New York City. Being between publishing contracts, and with nothing to promote, it was a strange experience. I was there mostly to meet with my agent, Svetlana Pironko of the Author Rights Agency. I’m lucky to have her representing me.

Despite my lowly status, Svetlana and partner Michael O’Brien had a BEA entry pass waiting for me. Although there were two other Rap Sheet contributors on-site on Saturday--Anthony Rainone was busy prowling the floor, while Megan Abbott signed her books at the Mystery Writers of America (MWA) booth--it fell to yours truly to cover the action.

Now, keep in mind that I had never been to a trade show in my life, so had no clue as to what I should see, ask about, or do--other than to shake hands and say hi to representatives from a publisher Svetlana was pitching. (I didn’t even have to fake this last task, as I already know most of the crew at that house, and they’re cool people to hang with, anyway.) So, rather than attempt an in-depth analysis, I’ll give you the bullet-point version of my Saturday.

• Travel tip: Never stay out at John F. Kennedy International Airport when you’re going to be in Manhattan most of the time. By rail, it’s a 90-minute ride.

• First stop--and most frequent--the MWA booth, managed with military precision by Margery Flax. There, crime writers Daniel Hale and Duane Swierczynski were waiting to start their signings. Daniel mused over whether he and agent-to-the-stars David Hale Smith were somehow related. Well, they are both from Dallas. Swierczy looked pretty good for someone who’d started out from Philadelphia in the wee hours. Yes, a non-New Yorker actually drove to Manhattan. And lived to tell about it.

• Off to the Bleak House Books booth to say hello to publisher Ben LeRoy and editor Alison Janssen. To my surprise, Jennifer Jordan, editor of the forthcoming anthology, Expletive Deleted (formerly known as Fuck Noir), was also on hand. Jen showed me the cover of her new book, which sported a big red circle with the title inside covering what appears to be an “F” and a “K.” The circle itself looks suspiciously like the logo for Bleak House parent Big Earth Publishing. Look for Expletive Deleted in bookstores this fall.

• Back to the MWA table, where Swierczy was signing advance reader copies (ARCs) of his follow-up to last year’s The Blonde, this new one called Severance Package. Next to him sat Rap Sheet contributor Megan Abbott, putting her John Hancock on copies of Queenpin. And no, she didn’t know yet about the review in January Magazine.

• Dorchester Publishing was operating a Hard Case Crime booth where Jason Starr and Charles Ardai--oh, wait: that was Richard Aleas; Charles has a beard--were signing copies of their forthcoming books. Jason signed his latest effort with co-conspirator Ken Bruen, Slide, the follow-up to last year’s raucous Bust. Charles--I mean, Richard--signed ARCs of his own latest, Songs of Innocence. Hard Case also had some of its cover models on hand. I ... er, went there for the articles. Yeah. That’s it.

• Bill Bryan informed me that he’s working on a sequel to his recent parody of reality television, Keep It Real. Can’t wait.

• And speaking of guys who aren’t fans of Donald Trump, I took a few moments to chat with Fortune magazine writer Lawrence Light, who was at the Expo to promote Ladykiller, his latest effort with wife Meredith Anthony. Our conversation spanned the range from “Where’s Meredith?” (in Chicago, it seems) to Donald Trump (Bryan nailed him good in Keep It Real) to Enron (we’d both found that big-money enterprise a bit disturbing, long before either of us really knew precisely why).

Unfortunately, I missed appearances by Stephen Colbert and Lawrence Block, but somehow ended up on Edward Champion’s Bat Segundo Show with Duane Swiersczynski. I had to leave early. Next Expo, I promise to be a tad more informative. For now, I was having fun, which was not easy to do in the sauna-like Javits Center.

Oh, what we writers are willing to do for our trade.