First Self-Publishing Book Expo Planned
By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 4/15/2009 7:36:00 AM
Publishing veterans Diane Mancher and Karen Mender are launching Self-Publishing Book Expo, an event that will focus on self-published books and the companies that produce them. SPBE will offer attending authors a place to exhibit and sell their books to the general public--and agents and publishers--as well as offering representatives from self-publishing companies to showcase their services. The event is slated for November.
Mancher, whose publishing PR firm One Potata Productions, Inc. will promote SPBE, said, “Self-publishing is one of the fasting growing segments of the publishing industry, and the time is ripe to have a place where these authors can interact with the public, mingle with their peers, meet representatives of the media who are otherwise unfamiliar with their work, and expose their books to a much broader audience.” Mancher is working with Mender, a former v-p, associate publisher and marketing director at Atria Books, Dell/Delacorte and HarperCollins, to produce and develop the Expo. Mender said SPBE will include panel discussions and lectures on the challenges of self-publishing, and an “Open House” for would-be authors, which will be open to the public and hosted by representatives of self-publishing companies.
The first SPBE will be held in New York City on Saturday, November 7. Mancher and Mender said they hope to hold the event annually. Authors may register at www.selfpubbookexpo.com.
