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.
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. 
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.
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 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.
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. 
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.
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. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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.
