California, Here We Come!

There of two modes transport in Los Angeles: car and ambulance," Fran Lebowitz wrote in Social Studies. Luckily, as the bookselling world descends on L.A. for the BEA convention, there will also be shuttle buses to transport people from hotels to the L.A. Convention Center and back.

The BEA package you're about to read offers the most comprehensive listing of activities on and off the BEA convention floor. Anyone hoping to take advantage of the city—whether savoring the eateries; sampling the nightlife; taking some free tours; or enjoying a busman's holiday by visiting local bookstores —will need a rental car and you should remember to allow for more time to get to your destination than you think you'll need. (FYI: Most taxis will not stop when flagged. Find a major hotel or call in advance—Checker Cab: 323-654-8400; L.A. Taxi: 213-627-7000; or United Taxi: 213-483-7604.)

Launched at the 2000 BEA, the Spanish Book Pavilion has grown in participating companies each year. To encourage more buying of Spanish books, this year BEA is introducing La Liberia Mundial, a bookstore sponsored by Fondo de Cultura Economica (FCE). Exhibitors at the Spanish Book Pavilion will be able to sell their wares at this meeting room off the show floor. The bookstore will help participating publishers offset the cost of exhibiting at BEA. As the only Mexican publisher with local offices in the U.S., FCE now distributes other Mexican publishing houses to assist wholesalers, retailers and libraries with their Spanish-language book needs.

There are four Buzz Workshops on Thursday, May 29, which offer publishers the chance to pitch their hottest books for the upcoming season. Booksellers have a choice of enjoying one of a trio of concurrent workshops (2–3:30 p.m.), beginning with the African-American Book Market Buzz (Room 501A/B). The Children's Book Buzz Workshop takes place in Room 502B. The third event, BEA's Latin American & Latino Book Buzz Workshop (Room 504) will be moderated by Adriana Lopez, editor of Críticas. The final event is BEA's Editor and Bookseller Buzz Forum (4:30–6 p.m., Room 411).

The BEA has partnered with the Open eBook Forum (www.openebook.org) to create an interactive center, The eBook Experience, which will be located prominently in the Concourse Foyer. OverDrive, Random House, Gemstar, Microsoft Corporation, Adobe Systems, Palm Digital Media, AGFA Monotype, Rosetta and Digital World Services are among the participating companies in the eBook Experience.

Who wouldn't want to be able to jump to the front of an autographing line? That's what you'll be able to do if you become a charter supporter of the Book Industry Foundation by adding a $25 tax-deductible contribution to your BEA registration fee. Booksellers who purchase the BIF/BEA Gold Pass receive a pass allowing them to go to the front of any autographing line. It's good only for one time, so choose your favorite author! Gold Pass members automatically will become members of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) and will receive a subscription to the organization's monthly's newsletter; the ABFFE handbook and a membership pin.

Speaking of ABFFE, the annual ABFFE Silent Auction offers hundreds of items of interest, including books, sidelines, tickets to sports and entertainment events, travel packages to all the regional bookseller shows this fall, airline tickets and hotel stays around the country. All proceeds benefit ABFFE. The auction displays, located in the walkway between South and West Halls, beginning Friday, May 30, and bidding ends at noon on Sunday, June 1. Another easy way to support ABFFE is by buying tickets to the BEA's Evening with Ellen DeGeneres at the Wiltern Theatre on Saturday, May 31. The Emmy winner's solo performance (sponsored by Simon & Schuster, publisher of her forthcoming The Funny Thing Is...) will benefit the Book Industry Foundation. Tickets are $25 ($45 for two and $100 for five).

It's going to be hard not to put on weight when the convention breakfasts and lunches offer meals with Toni Morrison, NPR's Noah Adams, Gerry Adams and Jhumpa Lahiri (Saturday, 8 a.m.); Al Franken, Molly Ivens, Bill O'Reilly and CNN Crossfire's Tucker Carlson (Saturday, noon); and Madeleine Albright, Michael Moore, Maxine Hong Kingston and Walter Isaacson (Sunday, 8 a.m.). Hyperion will have refreshments and advance copies at Mitch Albom's half-hour talk (Saturday, 3 p.m.) on his forthcoming The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

One of the most popular events at each year's BEA is the Autograph Area, where hundreds of authors sign books, galleys and posters during the trade show on Friday and Saturday. This year, a record 650 authors are scheduled to appear at the Autograph Area. BookExpo's Web site (www.bookexpoamerica.com) has a complete list of authors at traditional and in-booth signings. Plan your schedule in advance. You can also get a heads-up on galleys available at specific booths by checking out our "Galleys to Grab" articles (pages 43–47). A bookseller favorite begun last year was the Author Photo Center. Located near the ABA's booth (2921), booksellers will have the opportunity to garner local publicity by having their photo taken with an author. This free photo comes with a press release ready to send to the local press to create greater exposure in your community.