BookExpoCast » 2007 Podcasts

Noah Oppenheim Discusses The Intellectual Devotional

Rob — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:45:41 +0000

Noah Oppenheim, along with co-author David S. Kidder, have released the second book in their popular The Intellectual Devotional series.

The Intellectual Devotional: American History Edition: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Converse Confidently about Our Nation’s Past is a secular version of the spiritual devotionals that have been popular for generations. This book presents readers with a collection of 365 American history lessons that will inspire and invigorate the reader every day of the year.

In this episode Oppenheim, who also serves as Senior Producer on NBC’s Today Show, describes why he and Kidder chose to format these books as devotionals and gives us a few nuggets of historical knowledge that can be found inside the book. This is a User-Sponsored Podcast

Everyone’s a (Former) Critic

Rob — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:28:21 +0000

In this special event from the 2007 Brooklyn Book Festival, three music and arts critics known for their humor discuss what it means to be a critic and the art of writing beyond the review.

This session features popular essayist, memoirist, critic and soon-to-be novelist Chuck Klosterman, Rolling Stone music critic and new memoirist Rob Sheffield, and Believer editor and former Village Voice editor/critic Ed Park whose comic novel Personal Days will be released in 2008.

Simmons Clan Makes Brooklyn Book Festival a Family Affair

Rob — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:16:53 +0000

The Simmons family has taken American culture by storm. At this session from the 2007 Brooklyn Book Festival they discuss their new books, along with other matters of family and culture. In this unprecedented event, painter/poet Danny Simmons shares the stage with his brother, rap star Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons (of Run-DMC), and Joseph’s wife, children’s author Justine Simmons.

This special event was hosted by Michael Gonzalez of Bronx Biannual magazine.

Carter and Markowitz Discuss Politics, Growing Up In NYC

Rob — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:14:08 +0000

Dominic Carter is a veteran New York City journalist and Senior Political Reporter for NY1 News. Earlier this year, he self-published a memoir entitled No Momma’s Boy.

In this special event from the 2007 Brooklyn Book Festival, the tables are turned as Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz gets to ask Carter the questions. In addition to NYC political topics, Carter and Markowitz discuss their childhood experiences and rising above adversity.

All This Week: BEA Podcasts From The Brooklyn Book Festival

Rob — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:14:15 +0000

On September 16, 2007 nearly 100 booksellers and thousands of books filled Borough Hall Plaza and Columbus Park in Brooklyn, NY for the second annual Brooklyn Book Festival.

This event also featured a series of dramatic readings, author interviews, and panel discussions. By special arrangement with the Brooklyn Book Festival, we will be podcasting select programs from this special event.

Stay tuned all week to listen in!

Emerging Debut Fiction Voices

Rob — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 23:05:03 +0000

At each year’s BEA, the Emerging Voices session features up-and-coming authors who deserve to have their voices heard. Coinciding with the thematic focus on debut fiction at this year’s show, five top new fiction authors were chosen to talk about and read from their novels.

Featured authors included: Peter Charles Melman, author of Landsman, Nancy Horan, author of Loving Frank, Justin Evans, author of A Good and Happy Child, Anita Amirrezvani, author of The Blood of Flowers, and Ron Currie Jr., author of God Is Dead.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Library: The Unshelved Guys

Rob — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:28:54 +0000

What possessed Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum to write a comic strip about a library? And how do they keep tens of thousand of librarians around the globe laughing every day?

In this BEA 2007 session, the co-creators of Unshelved discuss their inspiration for this project and what makes libraries so darned funny.

Sunday Book and Author Breakfast

Rob — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:04:26 +0000

As BEA 2007 wound down, the Sunday Book and Author Breakfast brought together a diverse and talented group of authors.

To open, Alice Sebold, author of The Almost Moon, discusses the pressure she felt to follow up the wildly popular The Lovely Bones and reads from her new book. She is joined by Ben Karlin, author of Things I’ve Learned From Women Who’ve Dumped Me, and Ian McEwan, author of On Chesil Beach.

Turf Wars II: Caught in the Crossfire

Rob — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:11:36 +0000

At last year’s BEA the Turf Wars panel discussion, focusing on international rights issues between US and UK publishers, turned into a heated and passionate debate. This year’s Turf Wars II: Caught in the Crossfire – How Authors, Booksellers, Distributors and Others are Impacted by the U.S./UK Territorial Imbroglio, promised a kinder, gentler exchange.

This panel was led by Brian DeFiore of DeFiore & Co. and featured Chitra Bopardikar of Publishers Group West/Perseus, Lynn Kaplanian Buller of American Book Center in Amsterdam, Kim McArthur of McArthur & Co, and Jill Sansone of Hyperion.

Saturday Book and Author Breakfast

Rob — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 06:12:46 +0000

This BEA Book and Author Breakfast brings together two of the most popular authors of today with perhaps the most successful documentarian of all-time.

Ken Burns, author (with Geoffrey C. Ward) of The War: An Intimate History, 1941 – 1945, gives us a sneak preview of his book’s companion PBS documentary The War. Lisa See, author of Peony in Love, and Khaled Hosseini, author of A Thousand Splendid Suns, speak about their latest books and the influences and journeys that inspired them.

Upfront and Unscripted: Kurt Hassler, Yen Press

Rob — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 22:41:57 +0000

Kurt Hassler is the former Graphic Novel Buyer at Borders Group and is currently co-publisher of Yen Press. He was recently named the most powerful person in the American manga publishing industry in a survey by ICv2′s Retailers Guide to Anime/Manga. In this Upfront and Unscripted session, Hassler sits down with Calvin Reid, Sr. News Editor of Publishers Weekly, to talk about the exploding graphic novel market.

The Crisis in American Book Pages

Rob — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:00:33 +0000

It’s no secret our country’s newspapers are suffering from decreased readership and resources. As decision-makers cut costs and features, the book review is often one of the first to see the chopping block.

To help fight this alarming trend, National Book Critics Circle President John Freeman, who moderates this panel discussion, has launched the Campaign to Save Book Reviews. He is joined by a distinguished group of panelist who are directly impacted by the loss of the newspaper book review. Speakers include: Stacey Lewis of City Lights Books, Melissa Turner of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Heidi Julavits of The Believer, Oscar Villalon of the San Francisco Chronicle, literary blogger Maud Newton, and Michael Merschel of the Dallas Morning News.

The Heard Word: BEA’s Audiobook and Author Tea

Rob — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:00:37 +0000

In recent years, audiobooks have become a hugely successful avenue for authors to bring their works to a time-strapped audience.

Master of Ceremonies and veteran audiobook narrator Oliver Wyman opens this session, hosted by the Audio Publishers Association, with a reading from Richard Brautigan‘s novella Trout Fishing in America. Wyman is joined by John Lithgow and Roy Blount Jr., who have not only authored new books but also served as narrator, as well Jennifer Egan and Tom Perrotta, who explain what it is like to hear another voice bring their novels into the audiobook realm.

Editors’ Buzz on Debut Fiction

Rob — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:32:20 +0000

This BEA 2007 session, hosted by Brigid Hughes of A Public Space, brings together five of the industry’s top publishers. Each shares with us their top debut fiction novels for the upcoming season.

Hughes is joined by Judy Clain of Little Brown, Jonathan Karp of Twelve, Fred Ramey of Unbridled Books, Rob Weisbach of Weinstein Books, and Jordan Pavlin of Knopf. Listen in to discover the books that are creating a buzz in the industry!

Lit Insiders Spotlight: Shelfari

Rob — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:44:13 +0000

This session, hosted by BEA Director Lance Fensterman, was born out of the BEA Lit Insiders group on Shelfari.com. This group, comprised of industry insiders as well as everyday book lovers, chose one new author that they wanted to hear more from at BEA. Matthew Eck, author of The Farther Shore, was chosen to be the featured author at BEA.

Fensterman, Eck, and Shelfari co-founder Josh Hug discuss The Farther Shore, Shelfari, and the power of similar social networking sites that are connecting book lovers from around the globe.

Nancy Pearl’s Lust for Publishers’ Lists

Rob — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:34:33 +0000

In this BEA 2007 session, author, librarian hall of famer, and liaison extraordinaire Nancy Pearl focuses the spotlight and dialogue on the best of new and forthcoming titles from some of the industry’s largest publishing houses.

Pearl is joined by a distinguished group of publishing professionals who are focused on informing librarians about the best new books to put on their shelves. Speakers include: Marcia Purcell of Random House, Nora Rawlinson of Hachette Book Group, Talia Ross of Holtzbrinck Publishers, and Virginia Stanley of HarperCollins.

A Winning Season? It’s Time to Take Sportswriting Seriously

Rob — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:36:35 +0000

This panel discussion, sponsored by Beyond the Book, searches for signs of a renaissance in 2007 for “serious” sportswriting – identifying books and writers that are moving beyond celebrating today’s championships, and glorifying star players, toward seeing sports and athletes from all angles, including sports as integral to the global entertainment business, the lost and found art of sports-writing, and what truly makes a winning sports book.

Christopher Kenneally, Director of Author and Creator Relationships for the Copyright Clearance Center, leads this timely discussion. Kenneally is joined by David Maraniss, Associate Editor of The Washington Post, Cait Murphy, Senior Editor of Fortune, Peter Golenbock, author of 7:The Mickey Mantle Novel and nearly 17 other sports-related books and Starling Lawrence, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of W.W. Norton & Company.

Upfront and Unscripted: MJ Rose, author, The Reincarnationist

Rob — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 23:34:08 +0000

MJ Rose is an international bestselling author and writer of the new book The Reincarnationist. This book, which is Rose’s ninth novel, is also her first foray into historical fiction.

In this Upfront and Unscripted session, Carol Memmott, Book Critic and Publishing Reporter for USA Today, and Rose discuss The Reincarnationist, as well as what the future holds for this talented writer.

Ethics in Book Reviewing: The More Things Change…?

Rob — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:55:45 +0000

In 1989, the NBCC (National Book Critics Circle) published an extensive survey of ethics in book reviewing by Philadelphia Inquirer literary critic Carlin Romano, drawing on responses from NBCC members about whether it’s ever okay not to read a whole book before reviewing it and similar moral dilemmas.

This panel discussion, sponsored by the NBCC, poses a similar survey to a distinguished group of authors and critics to see what, if anything, has changed since the original survey was taken. Romano, who hosts this spirited discussion, is joined by John Leonard, a critic for the New York Review of Books, David Ulin, Book Editor for the LA Times, Sam Tanenhaus, New York Times Book Review Editor, and authors Francine Prose and Christopher Hitchens.

Mapping English Reading Markets

Rob — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:00:57 +0000

Over the past several years, English language books have been given increased shelf space in traditionally non-English reading countries. As this trend continues, publishers are searching for more ways to infiltrate these new markets. Ruediger Wischenbart, Principal of Content and Consulting, leads this diverse panel of experts. Together, they identify trends of English reading in relation to the fastest growing market segments.

Speakers include: Pascal Zimmer of Libri Germany, Francoise Dubrouille of the International Booksellers Federation, Esther Allen of Columbia University, and Peter Clifton of Ingram International.

Upfront and Unscripted: Laurell K Hamilton

Rob — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:23:59 +0000

Laurell K Hamilton is a New York Times bestselling author of two series of books, including the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels. Through a joint venture with Dabel Brothers and Marvel Comics, the Anita Blake series has now been transformed into a series of comics.

In this Upfront and Unscripted session, Hamilton and Heidi Macdonald of Publishers Weekly and The Beat blog discuss her journey into this new genre.

MySpace for Authors and Publishers

Rob — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:59:29 +0000

Since its launch in 2003, MySpace has not only been an internet phenomenon, but has helped boost the careers of numerous bands, comics, and filmmakers. In this BEA session, MySpace for Authors and Publishers: Everything You Need to Know to Make it Payoff, the publishing industry gets a first-hand lesson in how to make this social-networking site work for them.

Led by Lindsay Tredent and Christine Moore of MySpace, this panel is full of first hand knowledge from authors and publishers who have utilized MySpace to boost book sales. Featured speakers include: Miriam Parker of Hachette Book Group, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, author of I Am Not Myself These Days, Kevin Callahan of HarperCollins, Barry Lyga, author of The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Gothgirl, Richard Nash of Soft Skull Press, and Trevor Kelly and Leslie Simon, co-authors of Everybody Hurts: An Essential Guide to Emo Culture.

Atheism: The Rise of a New Subcategory in Religion

Rob — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:47:04 +0000

The dominant role of religion in politics and culture in recent years has produced a backlash, evidenced by the rise of a new subcategory—the anti-religion books. The past two years have brought a striking number of impassioned critiques of religion—any religion, but Christianity in particular—and calls for a return to reason rather than faith as a guiding principle.

Sarah Crichton, co-author of A Mighty Heart, and a distinguished group of panelists take a gloves-off approach to what they see as the sins of religion. Crichton is joined by Christopher Hitchens, author of God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, Nica Lalli, author of Nothing: Something to Believe In, and Victor Stenger, scientist and author of God: The Failed Hypothesis. How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist.

Editor’s Note: If you’d like to hear more from Nica Lalli and Victor Stenger, please visit the Authors Studio section of bookexpocast.com. In separate interviews, Lalli and Stenger discussed their new books with us during this year’s BEA Show in New York City.

Nica Lalli’s Authors Studio Interview

Victor Stenger’s Authors Studio Interview

BEA Global Market Forum: Spotlight on China

Rob — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:32:11 +0000

Uncertainty and apprehension for staking a claim on China’s mainland can make fence-sitters of even the most aggressive market seekers. However, there have been a handful of publishing risk-takers who have painstakingly set up shop to publish books to this massive market.

Robert Baensch, author of The Publishing Industry in China, leads this panel in a discussion focusing on how to grapple with China’s political, institutional, social and technical hurdles. Panel speakers for this Educational Program included: Karen Christensen of Berkshire Publishing, Jo Lusby of Penguin China, Joan O’Neil of John Wiley and Sons, and Michael Wester of True Run Media.

Upfront and Unscripted: Christopher Hitchens, author, God is Not Great

Rob — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 23:42:26 +0000

Christopher Hitchens is an author, journalist and literary critic who has written for Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and The Nation. His new book is titled God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.

Jeffery L. Sheler, Contributing Editor of U.S. News & World Report, sits down with Hitchens to discuss this new book and how he believes that religion has been a contributor to many of the social and political issues in the world today.

Saturday Book and Author Luncheon with Alan Alda

Rob — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 12:00:25 +0000

This BEA 2007 Special Event focused on political, cultural and social change. Alan Alda, actor and author of Things I Learned While Talking to Myself was the Master of Ceremonies.

Featured panelists were Valerie Plame Wilson, author of Fair Game, Paul Krugman, author of Conscience of a Liberal, and Russell Simmons, author of Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success.

The 8 Deadly Sins of email for Book Industry Professionals

Rob — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:13:48 +0000

Will Schwalbe is Senior VP and Editor-in-Chief of Hyperion. David Shipley is Deputy Editorial Page and Op-Ed page editor of the New York Times. Together, they are authors of the new book Send: The Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home.

In this BEA 2007 session, Schwalbe and Shipley discuss the main ways publishing people mess up on email — and how we can all email better. They share stories of their own mistakes, as well as examples (and top peeves) from booksellers, editors, authors, agents, publicists, and reps.

Upfront and Unscripted: Shalom Auslander, author, Foreskin’s Lament

Rob — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:43:39 +0000

Shalom Auslander is the author of Beware of God and the new book Foreskin’s Lament. In this memoir Auslander, who was raised as an Orthodox Jew, humorously questions God’s role and the religious beliefs he was brought up with.

In this Upfront and Unscripted session, Maud Newton, editor and blogger of maudnewton.com, speaks with Auslander about growing up in such a strict environment and how that has affected his adult life.

Upfront and Unscripted: Nancy Pearl

Rob — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 22:36:26 +0000

Nancy Pearl is a legendary librarian in the Seattle area. Now retired from the Seattle Public Library, Pearl speaks and writes about the books the rest of us should be reading. Her newest book is called Book Crush.

In this session, Pearl speaks with Bob Minzesheimer, Book Editor for USA Today, about the importance of reading and the best ways to fight through the clutter on the bookshelves to find the right books for you.

Upfront and Unscripted: Ken Lombard, Starbucks Entertainment

Rob — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:46:27 +0000

Ken Lombard is President of Starbucks Entertainment. Lombard, a longtime business partner of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, took the helm of Starbucks Entertainment in 2004 with plans to expand the coffee retailer’s presence in the book, movie, and music markets.

In this Upfront and Unscripted session, Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of WIRED, and Lombard discuss the Starbucks business model and the company’s goals for their Entertainment Division.

Ian McEwan on Chesil Beach Preview

Rob — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:13:15 +0000

At BEA, Powell’s Books in partnership with Out of the Book Films, introduced a groundbreaking series of short films about authors. The first in the series, the 28-minute film, “Ian McEwan on Chesil Beach,” was screened on Saturday, June 2. Shot over four days in England and the United States, the film includes interviews with McEwan in London, on-location footage from Chesil Beach, an original soundtrack, commentary from peers and critics, and much more. The film is now showing nationwide. You can find a screening and more info at Out of the Book Film.

A Mighty Heart: From Manuscript to Screen with Mariane Pearl

Rob — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 23:28:39 +0000

Presented by Paramount Vantage, this panel discussion offers a behind-the-scenes look at the feature film A Mighty Heart. The movie, starring Angelina Jolie, is based on Mariane Pearl’s memoir, detailing the unforgettable story of her husband, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl’s life and death.

Panelists include: Scribner Vice President and Editor-In-Chief Nan Graham, Sarah Crichton, who co-wrote A Mighty Heart with Pearl, and Dede Gardner, President of Plan B Entertainment. These speakers offer a rare look into the process by which this beloved book was brought from bookshelves to the big screen.

Tech Tags:Mariane Pearl Daniel Pearl Angelina Jolie A Mighty Heart

BookExpo 2007 Editors Buzz Forum

Rob — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 23:33:54 +0000

The BEA Editors Buzz Forum is always a highly anticipated event. This year’s session, moderated by Sara Nelson of Publishers Weekly, featured a panel of six top book editors. Each had a chance to speak about the one book that has them excited this year.

This year’s panel included: Daniel Halpern of Ecco/HarperCollins, Geoffrey Kloske of Riverhead, Margaret Marbury of Mira Books/Harlequin, Susanna Porter of Random House Publishing Group, Marysue Rucci of Simon and Schuster, and Elisabeth Schmitz of Grove Atlantic.

Upfront and Unscripted: Adam Bellow and Hannah Tinti

Rob — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:24:26 +0000

Adam Bellow is Executive Editor and Co-Founder of Doubleday Broadway and Pamphleteer Press. Hannah Tinti is Editor of One Story magazine and author of the book Animal Crackers.

Bellow and Tinti are leading the movement to resurrect the pamphlet as a viable means to connect with the public. In this “Upfront and Unscripted” session, they discuss the history of pamphlets and how they are using traditional as well as modern techniques to again make pamphlets relevant.

Upfront and Unscripted: Nancy Horan, author, Loving Frank

Rob — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:29:05 +0000

Nancy Horan is a writer and journalist whose work has appeared in numerous publications. Her first novel, Loving Frank, tells the story of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s love affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, a married woman who, along with her husband, had commissioned Wright to design their family home.

Kristin Matthews, Book Producer for CBS The Early Show, and Horan discuss this relationship and how it shocked Chicago society and forever change their lives.

Upfront and Unscripted: Terry Moore, Strangers in Paradise

Rob — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:21:15 +0000

Terry Moore is the creator of the graphic novel series Strangers in Paradise. After authoring nineteen graphic novels, six pocketbooks, and over one hundred comic books in the series, Moore has decided to retire the Strangers in Paradise franchise. Charles Brownstein, Executive Director of the Comic Legal Defense Fund, and Moore reflect on the success of Strangers in Paradise and what lies ahead.

Thinning the Ivy: How Yale University Press Used New Media to Change its Image

Rob — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 23:19:37 +0000

As the publishing industry embraces the world of new media, lessons can be learned from the pioneers of our business. Daniel Lee, Web Marketing Manager for Yale University Press and Chris Gondek, Producer and Host of the Yale PressCast will speak about the genesis of their successful project and share real results from their new media initiatives. Lee and Gondek will also teach you how to launch your own new media partnerships.

Upfront and Unscripted: Chris Anderson on BookTour.com

Rob — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 18:52:33 +0000

Chris Anderson is Editor-in-Chief of WIRED, author of The Long Tail, and co-founder of the new website BookTour.com. Along with Kevin Smokler, editor of Bookmark Now and creator of the Virtual Book Tour, and Adam Goldstein, author of several volumes of the Missing Manual computer book series, Anderson created this new service as the definitive online calendar of author appearances and signing events around the country. In this Upfront and Unscripted session, Anderson shares his vision for BookTour.com with AuthorBuzz creator MJ Rose.

African-American Keynote Address: Victoria Rowell

Rob — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 12:34:08 +0000

Victoria Rowell is a versatile actress of theatre, primetime, daytime and feature films and has been nominated twice for a Daytime Emmy and awarded eleven NAACP Image Awards. Rowell has recently released her first book, The Women Who Raised Me, which pays tribute to the role models in her life. In this session, Rowell reads an excerpt from the book.

Corporate Social Media Platforms: A Case for Publisher Participation

Rob — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:12:39 +0000

Corporations in all industries are experimenting and effectively using social networking tools to build product awareness and communicate with customers. In the publishing environment, books provide an easy platform for the many individual consumer and author blogs that exist – and there are many – but what about the publishers?

This session provides an overview of the social networking activities of various publishers and provides a window into their motivations, successes and expectations. It is hosted by Michael Cairns, founder of Information Media Partners. Speakers include Michael Hyatt of Thomas Nelson, Carrie Kania of Harper Perennial, Jim Behrle of Overlook Press, Karen Christensen of Berkshire Publishing and Molly Vallik of Harlequin.

Upfront and Unscripted: George Jones, CEO of Borders

Rob — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:42:43 +0000

George Jones is CEO of Borders Group, having been appointed in July of 2006. In this Upfront and Unscripted session, he sits down with Shelf Awareness publisher John Mutter. Jones explains Borders’ strategic plan for the future and why he believes that this plan is the right one to drive a long-term turnaround for this leading retailer.

Customer Focused Publishing: Michael Hyatt of Thomas Nelson

Rob — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 23:06:55 +0000

Michael Hyatt is CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc. In this BEA 2007 session, “Customer Focused Publishing: How Thomas Nelson Moved Away from Imprints and Closer to Customer Wants,” Hyatt explains why Thomas Nelson dropped 21 publisher imprints and instituted their One Company Initiative; adjusting their focus on categories. With two full months into the phase-out, Hyatt shares his experience and insight into how the reorg has changed their model for success and performance measurement.

Upfront and Unscripted: David Michaelis, author of Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography

Rob — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:41:03 +0000

David Michaelis is the author of N. C. WYETH: A Biography as well as the new book Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography. In this BEA 2007 Upfront and Unscripted session, documentary producer Mary Murphy and Michaelis discuss the life and work of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz. Michaelis touches on the success of Peanuts as a comic for children, as well as the deeper lessons Schulz hid beneath the surface of his art.

Giving it Away: Free Lunch or Unrealized Opportunity

Rob — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 21:40:53 +0000

For publishers and authors alike, control of their content is traditionally of paramount importance. Yet for a growing segment of book publishing, a “free lunch” – usually served online, or at least dished out in one digital form or another – is seen as a smart marketing ploy to lure readers.

Christopher Kenneally, Director of Author Relations at Beyond the Book, an information program of the Copyright Clearance Center, is joined by Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of WIRED and author of The Long Tail, Waterfront Media CEO Ben Wolin, and David Langevin, VP/Director of Electronic Markets for Hougton Mifflin Co. Together, this panel of industry experts discuss when and how (if ever) a free lunch can pay off for all parties to the process.

Upfront and Unscripted: Jon Karp, publisher of TWELVE

Rob — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:30:25 +0000

Jon Karp is publisher and editor-in-chief of TWELVE. This new imprint aims to release just twelve new books per year. Karp discusses this “quality over quantity” approach and previews the titles that will be released in the upcoming year. Carl Lennertz, VP of Independent Retailing for HarperCollins, hosts this discussion.

My Debut Novel: What I Wish My Publishing House and Booksellers Knew Before the Release

Rob — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 23:02:39 +0000

Lisa Tucker, author of Once Upon a Day and The Song Reader, moderates this panel discussion focusing on ways first-time authors can create industry buzz for their novels. Panelists include Marly Russoff, President of Marly Russoff and Associates, Mary Gay Shipley, owner of That Bookstore in Blytheville, Arkansas, and Michael Selleck, Senior Vice President, Executive Director of Marketing of Simon and Schuster’s Adult Publishing Group.

Upfront and Unscripted: Tony and Maureen Wheeler, co-founders, The Lonely Planet

Rob — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 23:43:35 +0000

Tony Wheeler is the co-founder and publisher of The Lonely Planet series of guidebooks. Along with his wife, Maureen Wheeler, he has written the new book Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story. The Wheelers discuss how they met in London, why they started The Lonely Planet, and where this series has taken them over the past 40 years. This session was hosted by Beth Harpaz.

Tech Tags: Tony Wheeler Maureen Wheeler The Lonely Planet

The Role of Publishers in the Real Digital Age: An Insider’s Perspective

Rob — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:54:18 +0000

Jeff Gomez is Director of Internet Marketing at Holtzbrinck Publishers and author of the upcoming book Print is Dead: Books in Our Digital Age. In this seminar, sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association, Gomez discusses the new landscape of publishing in the digital age and ways the industry can keep up with rapidly changing technologies.

BEA 2007: Podcasts Are Coming

Rob — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 03:00:46 +0000

With BookExpo 2007 just completed, we are busy preparing a great sampling of audio podcasts from the show featuring the Special Events, Education Programs, Upfront & Unscripted Interviews, and coverage of the Audio Publishers Association Conference.

Click here for a complete listing of the podcasts that you can expect to hea. We will start releasing an episode a day, starting today!

Also, be on the lookout for the BEA Authors Studio, featuring podcast interviews with more than 80 new and notable authors! We will be posting those podcasts starting next week.

Ken Burns on The War

Rob — Tue, 29 May 2007 21:29:08 +0000

For more than thirty years Ken Burns has directed and produced some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including Baseball, The Civil War, and JAZZ. His latest documentary, The War, tells the story of the Second World War through the personal accounts of a handful of men and women from four quintessentially American towns. An accompanying book, The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945, by Geoffrey C. Ward, includes a forward written by Burns.

Burns will be speaking at the Book and Author Breakfast on Saturday, June 2.