Takeaways From BookExpo 2018 in NYC

June 3, 2018
 

My coauthor, David Prudhomme, and I just returned from an amazing 4 days as an Exhibitor for Be Happy NOW! at the combined event, BOOKExpo/BookCon 2018 at the Javits Center in NYC.  We are happy to report the world of books --- publishers, publicists, librarians, authors and readers – is vibrant and HUGE. We came away with some great new connections with an award-winning transformational author and publicist, a host of a nationally ranked radio show, hundreds of avid readers and new friends and fellow authors.

Going to NYC, aka “The City”, brought back many memories and some new discoveries.  

• The first night we found a great Asian fusion restaurant in the area known as Hell’s Kitchen. My Grandma raised her family of 7, including my mother Eileen, in a tenement in Hell’s Kitchen before they moved out to Bayside, LI. Grandma worked in the men’s shirt department at Macy’s, Aunt Mary, the oldest, oversaw the crew and most attended St Michael's, a neighborhood parochial school. I say most, because my mother, the quiet rebel refused to attend parochial school.  
  
  
• We discovered a great bookish hotel, The Library Hotel at 299 Madison Ave, where we were interviewed (and video-taped) for Be Happy NOW! Every room in the hotel has a book for the guests, the rooftop reception area has a “Hall Of Fame” display of books of authors who have passed through. Guess what? Be Happy NOW! is at The Library Hotel! 
  
  
  
  
•  I reconnected with a cousin and her daughter at Carmine’s, a family-style Italian restaurant, in Times Square. 
• I reminisced about my pied-a-terre E 62^nd Street where I stayed when I worked on Wall Street.  

• I shared my story of that fateful September day, 9/11 – and listened to everyone’s story of where they were that day.

My fondest memories of all are about the authors we met and how we supported each other throughout the 4 days. Here are just a few highlights:

• Hilary Smith, Connie Soles and I. Hilary is a a pediatrician and now author of Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree, a story set in the year 2012 about raising a “natural”, a naturally conceived human being, in a highly regulated world of sex-bots men and women. Connie Soles, a teacher and creator of specialized music-based intervention to treat ADHD and autistic children and author of a series of books, including MEO: The Pharaoh of Cats, a story about time traveling cats of ancient Egypt.  
  
  

• Kathy Kingsbury-Ansite who published a new book, The Playhouse Story: A Tiny House on the Move, under her pen name, Missy Joy Kingsbury. She endured a nightmare – her new books never arrived at BOOKExpo – with grace and faith. She came over to the booth and helped take pictures – and here she is -- with a brave smile. 
  
  

• We met sci-fi writers like Anthony Wedgeworth, author of epic fantasy adventures like Outraged and Fate of Thoric. Also, Muriel Stockdale, author of Gabriel Born, a prodigy that develops perfect blue wings at the age of five.  

• Special thanks to Xuemei Zhong, PhD, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and author or The Traveler: Book 1, an inspiring story which awakens travelers of life's journey and beautifully illustrated by a 13-year old artist. The special thanks are due because she had a great eye for lighting and took this picture of David and I at BOOKExpo.
   

• Special mention also goes to Michael Webster, author of The Poetic Scriptures of Luke: God’s Word in Rhyme & Rhythm, who walked the aisles to promote everyone’s book signing event.

I truly felt the creativity, the imagination, the passion, and appreciated the acts of support and service of all these authors and many more. The energy was magnificent.

My next Blog will focus on stress management -- a natural follow-on to living for a few days in NYC again. Lol.

Till next time, 

 May you be happy now and always, Alison 

P.S.: Here is a link from my website to preview and purchase our book, “Be Happy NOW!” www.BeHappyNowBook.com

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