BookExpoAmerica BEA

I've spent the past week in NYC

at BEA (BookExpoAmerica)

a conference of booksellers and publishers

with authors, teachers and librarians

rounding out the mix.

High energy!

Loads of dedicated book people!

Above is my long-time editor, Joanna Cotler.

One day I'll also get pics of the beautiful, dedicated teams

that also support authors:

marketing, publicity, sales, editorial, art.

So very much goes into the making of a beautiful book.

Another highlight of these big conferences

is the chance to see and hear colleagues:

Me with Neil Gaiman

He told me that he and I are the

"only two people in the world who have received

both the Newbery (USA) and Carnegie (UK) Medals."

We toasted ourselves.

He has a beautiful way about him.

and then . . .

I shared some laughs with

Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snickett)

a funny, funny man.

Another funny man 

was/is Eoin Colfer

but I don't have a photo of that encounter

alas.

Some other great authors whose air I shared on panels:

Rebecca Stead, Joan Bauer, James Dashner, 

Lauren Oliver, Judith Viorst, Shannon Messenger

and whose inspiring words I heard:

Walter Dean Myers, Lois Lowry, Chris Colfer, John Green and Kadir Nelson

and now I'm back home

and there is work to be done

after

a

nap

xx