Fall Regional Roundup: No Conflicts on the Plains

Trade show meets Thurs., Sept. 13–Sun., Sept. 16, at the Marriott Denver Tech Center, Denver, Colo.

As if to borrow inspiration from the Latin adage, "times change, and we change with them, too," organizers of this year's MPBA trade show have put together a new lineup of programs free of scheduling conflicts, giving booksellers more choices over the course of four days. On Thursday and Friday, booksellers can opt for two of the three modules commissioned by the MPBA: for sales staff, there's "Exceptional Frontline Bookselling," for managers, "What a Great Bookstore!—Setting the Pace through Creativity & Innovation" and "In Sync—Building and Sustaining Your Dream Team." No educational programming is planned for the weekend.

On Thursday morning, all are free to take care of breakfast on their own. Educational modules: 9 a.m.–noon, 1:45–4:30 p.m. Making the trade-show circuit is Doug Hall, featured speaker at the box lunch and seminar that starts at noon. Known as the "eccentric entrepreneur," Doug is bound to fire up the audience as he preaches his unconventional steps to success. Two hour-long sessions are scheduled for the afternoon. At 2 p.m., there's a seminar on sidelines, followed by another on inventory management. The day ends at 5 p.m.

On Friday, exhibitors are invited to set-up their booths. Educational modules: 9 a.m.–noon, 1:45–4:30 p.m. In addition, there's a lot in store for early arrivals. First, the Publishers Association of the West and MPBA host several exhibitors' presentations running from 9 a.m. to noon. A concurrent workshop deals with remainders, followed by a discussion on new and used books. The keynote speaker at Friday's box lunch and seminar is former bookseller Gary Thorp (Sweeping Changes). At 2 p.m., Avin Domnitz takes center stage with his basic bookstore finance course, with an emphasis on budgeting and monitoring expenses. Graduates will receive a sample disk of the ABA-developed system to take home and use in their own stores. The Advisory Council meets at 4:30 p.m. As the day comes to a close, everyone is invited to the mezzanine for an exhibitor-sponsored open house. Food and drink, music and fun all around!

The doors will open early on Saturday morning. There's a complimentary continental breakfast for those attending the hour-long MPBA general meeting slated to begin at 8 a.m. Exhibit halls open at 9 a.m., with staggered closings for lunch. Hour-long autographing sessions are scheduled at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; check announcements for designated rooms. As a service to MPBA booksellers, Hal Erickson of Erickson Employee Benefits will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to advise members on insurance packages. A cafeteria-style noontime food break will be available in the "Gazebo." Lunch-goers who want to hear about the season's hot books can take their trays to the "reps pix" session slated from noon to 2 p.m. Evening festivities at the Terrace Gardens Conference Center start with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Author Banquet for Literacy at 7:30 p.m. Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay), Margaret Coel (Thunder Keeper) and Susan Isaacs (Long Time No See) will speak at this charity benefit.

Though Sunday's schedule is abbreviated, there's still a lot to see and do before the cleanup crew comes through. There's the children's author and illustrator breakfast featuring Patricia Polacco (Betty Doll) and James Howe (The Misfits). Exhibit halls open at 9 a.m. Autographing sessions are scheduled throughout the morning, at 9:30 a.m., 10 a.m. (breakfast authors only) and 11 a.m. The show closes at 1 p.m.

Contact: Lisa D. Knudsen, 19 Old Town Square, Suite 238, Fort Collins, Colo. 80524;(970)484-5856; lknudsen@mountainsplains.org