The attendance figures for BEA 2004 won't be known for some time, but a look at the last five years' numbers would indicate that a total in the low 20,000s is about what to expect. The less-frequent shows on either coast tend to draw better, but with more than 2,000 exhibitor booths this year, hundreds of authors in attendance and one ex-president with a very big book, convention organizers were looking forward to a strong show.